GEORGE TOWN: Penang police rescued a fortune teller from India who was kidnapped and arrested 20 individuals in a series of raids around Kulim in Kedah and Bukit Mertajam near here last night.
Penang police chief Datuk Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain said the 24 year-old victim was rescued at about 2 am following intelligence gathering and surveillance by the state Criminal Investigation Division (CID), assisted by a team from Bukit Aman.
The victim had been locked up in a house in Taman Desa Aman, Padang Serai in Kulim, Kedah.
“We received a report on Nov 8 (Tuesday) from a man who informed us that the son of his friend had been kidnapped, and that the victim’s parents who are staying overseas (India) received a ransom call demanding RM700,000, and that the victim would be killed if the amount was not paid.
“We then launched an operation before raiding several locations and managed to rescue the victim and arrested seven men, two local women and 11 male foreigners to assist in the investigations.
“All those arrested were aged between 24 and 60,” he said at a press conference here today.
He said among those detained was a married couple, their son, and the sister of the suspect’s wife, as well as 11 Indian nationals who were acquaintances of the family.
Police also found that all the foreigners did not possess valid travel documents.
Mohd Shuhaily said the incident did not involve any kidnapping syndicate and was believed to be connected to an issue of fraud, because the victim knew the suspects.
He said with the arrest of the 20 individuals, the police believe they have solved the kidnapping case involving the fortune teller.
“Those detained included restaurant employees, businessmen and those working in other fields, while the male suspect from the couple is a retiree and his wife and son worked in the private sector,” he said.
Following the arrests, he said the police also confiscated a Toyota Vios car, 17 mobile phones, seven bank books, seven ATM cards, two iron rods, a baton, an iron chain, and RM2,085 cash.
He added that all the suspects were remanded until Nov 13 to assist with investigations. - Bernama
