Gang planned to kidnap actress, demand huge ransom: Kerala Police
Kochi: A gang of impostors, arrested for allegedly threatening and trying to extort money from a South Indian actress, had planned to kidnap and hold her hostage and demand a huge ransom, a top police official said on Tuesday.
Eight of the 12 member gang, which hatched the conspiracy and tried to execute their plan have been arrested, while the other four are absconding, City Police Commissioner Vijay Sakhare said
"The gang of imposters, which established contact with Shamna Kasim and her family after coming up with a marriage proposal for her, had hatched a plan to kidnap the actress, hold her hostage in a hotel room and demand a huge ransom.
But it did not materialise," he told PTI.
Police said the gang had kept several models in their captivity after inviting them for assignments and extorted money from them. Their success prompted them to go in for a bigger operation and try to extort money from an actress like Shamna, police said.
They said the gang managed to collect details of the actress from those in the film industry after convincing them that they planned to produce movies.
The arrested gang members are also accused of keeping eight women, working as models, in their captivity in Palakkad in March and extorting money from them
Police have registered seven cases against the gang on the basis of separate complaints filed by Shamna and other models.
Widening the probe to the Malayalam film industry, police had on Monday summoned and taken the statements of popular comedian Dharmajan Bolgatty, whom some of the arrested gang members had allegedly contacted during the lockdown.
Police, however, clarified that the film personalities do not have any role in the episode.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
India moving towards becoming global economic powerhouse: Kovind
_vb_69.jpeg)
Amritsar (PTI): Former president Ram Nath Kovind on Friday said that with digital transformation, economic reforms and a strong focus on the ease of doing business, India is moving towards becoming a global economic powerhouse.
He was speaking after inaugurating the 19th edition of the Punjab International Trade Expo (PITEX) in Amritsar.
The former president said that this 19th edition of PITEX is being organised at a time when India is recognised as one of the fastest-growing large economies in the world.
Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the event organised by the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) the former president, while referring to Punjab, said the state is a living example of courage, sacrifice and enterprise.
"The spiritual light of Sri Harmandir Sahib (Golden Temple) inspires peace and humanity across the world. The heritage of Punjab is deep and inspiring," Kovind said, according to a statement issued by the PITEX.
The former president congratulated the PHDCCI for hosting the 19th edition of PITEX and suggested that the chamber should expand PITEX outside Punjab.
He proposed that a similar event should also be held in New Delhi.
