American Dream: Gujarat couple held hostage in Iran released after Rs 15 lakh payment, two booked in Ahmedabad

The FIR states that Pankaj came in touch with accused agent Abhay Raval, who promised him and his wife that he wiil send them to the US illegally for Rs 1.15 crore.

Ahmedabad police, on Tuesday, registered an FIR against two agents in connection with kidnapping of a couple in Tehran (Iran) for ransom while making false promises of sending them to the United States illegally. The relatives of the couple, who is said to have been released and on their way back to Ahmedabad, had sought help from the government to rescue them from the clutches of a Pakistani human trafficker.

The Krushnanagar police station registered the FIR naming Pintubhai Goswami and Abhaybhai Jitendrabhai Raval, both residents of Ahmedabad. They have been booked for kidnapping, breach of trust and cheating to be read with criminal conspiracy. The FIR is based on a written complaint lodged by Bharat Patel, 31, whose younger brother Pankaj and his wife Nisha, both 29 years old, were held hostage in Tehran by a Pakistani human trafficker.

The 7-page FIR states that Pankaj came in touch with accused agent Abhay Raval, who promised him and his four-month pregnant wife, Nisha, that he will send them to the US illegally for Rs 1.15 crore. Pankaj told Raval that he didn't have that much amount but would do some "setting" with the relatives and pay them back once he reached America. Pankaj told his parents about this plan who supported the move. They decided to sell off their house to arrange money for Pankaj and Nisha.

On June 2, Pankaj and Nisha left for Hyderabad as per the plan. They met a local agent identified as Shakil and got their visa for Iran after ten days. On June 12, the couple left for Iran with an agent identified as Muniruddin Sidiqqui. They were supposed to travel to Mexico before traveling illegally to the US. After reaching Tehran, they were brought to a hotel by a Pakistani agent who held them as hostage for ransom.

The Pakistani agent beat up the couple, cut Pankaj's back with blades and sent the video clips to his brother Bharat seeking a ransom of Rs 15 lakh.

FIR stated that the local agent Raval told Bharat not to respond to the ransom calls. It said that the kidnapper started sending audio clips of Pankaj to Ramesh Chauhan, a colleague of Bharat, asking for money. The kidnapper also sent audio and video clippings of Pankaj getting beaten up and seeking help to his friend Priyank here in Ahmedabad to pressurize the family for ransom.

Later, the kidnapper uploaded those videos as status message of Pankaj's WhatsApp number. According to police sources, the local agent Raval allegedly transferred Rs 15 lakh to the kidnapper through angadia (courier firm). On June 19, the couple was released by the kidnaper in Tehran city.

Police sources said the couple is flying back to Ahmedabad in the supervision of Indian officials.