Jamshedpur, January 29: Jharkhand Police have arrested seven accused, including the leader of the Bihar-based “Singh Sahab gang,” in connection with the kidnapping of 24-year-old Carav Gandhi, son of industrialist Devang Gandhi from Jamshedpur. Based on technical evidence, police safely recovered Carav Gandhi from Chauparan, located on the Jharkhand-Bihar border, during the night between Monday and Tuesday.
According to the police, the kidnapping was a well-planned operation. The abductors used a Scorpio vehicle with fake number plates and police stickers to impersonate law enforcement officers. During the investigation, the police seized the Scorpio used in the kidnapping, another Scorpio, several pistols, cartridges, eight mobile phones, and ₹56,000 in cash. On the midnight of January 26-27, when the kidnappers were bringing Carav Gandhi from Bihar to Jharkhand, a cordon was laid in the Chauparan-Barhi border area.
Startled by the police action, the criminals pushed Carav Gandhi out of the vehicle and attempted to flee. Three kidnappers were caught on the spot. To reach the mastermind of the gang, police kept the initial seizures and arrests confidential. Subsequently, raids in Bihar’s Gaya, Nalanda, and Aurangabad districts led to the arrest of the gang leader and other accused.
The arrested include Upendra Singh, Arjun Singh, and Guddu Singh. The investigation revealed that Carav Gandhi was under surveillance for about a week before the kidnapping. To demand ransom, the accused used VOIP technology instead of regular mobile networks and made calls from an Indonesian virtual number, demanding ₹10 crore. To handle this technical challenge, Jamshedpur Police sought assistance from technical agencies in Delhi and Punjab.
Carav Gandhi, a resident of CH Area in Jamshedpur, was kidnapped on January 13 while leaving home in his Creta car. He had informed his family that he would first visit SBI Bank in Bishtupur, then go to his company in Adityapur, and return home for lunch. When he did not return by 1:45 pm and his phone was switched off, his family began searching for him. Shortly after, they received a call from a foreign number informing them about Carav Gandhi’s kidnapping and demanding ransom.
The police stated that Carav Gandhi was not physically harmed during the abduction. Medical examination confirmed his normal condition, although he was mentally stressed due to the ordeal. Further investigation into the case is ongoing. The Director General of Police, Jharkhand, is expected to hold a press conference on Friday to provide detailed information about the case.
