JOIN USAn NRI has alleged that he was abducted by a person known to him and taken to West Bengal’s Darjeeling district, with the promise of a job in Canada.
Kundan Kumar, 27, who has been working as a chef in Ghana since June 2011, claimed that the kidnappers released him after taking Rs 9 lakh from his family in south Delhi’s Sarojini Nagar.
Kundan told police that he was not satisfied with his job at a hotel in Ghana, where he was paid $1,000 per month. When he came to India in July, he met Prakash Magar, a friend of his brother-in-law Sanjay Kumar.
“Prakash claimed that he had sent many unemployed youths abroad with the help of his contacts. He promised Kundan that he could help him get a good job in Canada if he was willing to pay Rs 10 lakh,” a senior police official said.
Kundan agreed to the offer as Prakash claimed that he would be paid $3,800 per month in Canada. Then he went back to Ghana on August 17 to rejoin work.
Kundan was later asked to send a copy of his passport, for which he sent an email to Prakash. “He then got an email in which a job agreement letter from a Canadian hotel was attached, and was asked to fill a Canadian visa application form,” the official added.
Then Prakash called him to Delhi to complete the formalities for his travel to Canada. When Kundan came to Delhi on September 28, he was told that he would have to catch the flight to Canada from Kolkata.
Accordingly, he flew to Kolkata on September 29, where he met Prakash.
“They went to stay at a hotel in Bagdogra after Prakash claimed that two more youths will join them and travel to Canada,” the official said.
On October 1, Kundan and the three others were on their way to the ‘airport’ when a drink was given to him. He lost consciousness as the drink was apparently laced with sedatives. On regaining consciousness, he found himself tied up in a hotel room.
“He alleged that he was beaten up at gunpoint. He was told to contact his family members and tell them that he needed money in Canada,” the official added.
Kundan contacted his father Harichand and brother-in-law Sanjay on Skype, and told them to sell his property in west Delhi’s Mundka to collect Rs 10 lakh. Meanwhile, Prakash also contacted them and claimed that Kundan was in trouble in Canada and could be deported.
Prakash then directed Kundan’s family members to deposit the money immediately, after which they paid Rs 9 lakh in two instalments. Kundan was released in a tea plantation in Bagdogra after Prakash received the money.
“He then contacted his family, who sent him a flight ticket to help him return to Delhi,” the official said.
A case has been lodged over Kundan’s complaint with Sarojini Nagar police station.