NEW DELHI: The sensational Kidnapping and subsequent release of five diamond merchants based in the Indian metropolis on the west coast, Bombay, still remains a mystery with their relatives saying that no ransom was paid to the abductors.

“Ask the CBI, Kavin Parikh, father of one of the kidnap victims, Milan Parikh, told reporters at Dress conference here.

The relatives parried all questions from journalists relating to the bizarre 18 -day kidnapping which ended Thursday, with their release from a posh residential area in the south of the capital city.

Kishore Mehta said investigations were underway and they would not like to say anything that could jeopardize the process.

“We don’t know how our boys were released. It remains a mysterious too. But our boys are back and we are happy,” said a visibly relieved Mehta.

One man, Kulkarni was later arrested by the CBI.

The CBI kept Kulkarni’s arrest a closely guarded secret and he was produced on Saturday before the chief metropolitan magistrate. J.P Sharma and remanded to judicial custody.

According to the bail application of Kulkarni, the CBI had “framed him in a false case” for its alleged failure to trace out the real culprits behind the kidnapping. The application is likely to come up for hearing Tuesday.

Although the diamond merchants and their relatives have denied that any ransom was paid to secure their release, the investigating agencies believe a huge sum was given to the alleged Kidnappers.

CBI sources said Kulkarni was suspected to have played a role in exchange of ransom money.

The sources said investigations were progressing on the lines of disclosures made by Kulkarni and added that the CBI was probing the case in Bombay as well as in five foreign countries with assistance from Interpol.

The sources described Kulkarni’s arrest as a “major breakthrough” and expressed hope that the mystery behind the kidnapping could be soon uncovered. During their interrogation by the CBI, the four merchants, the driver and Kulkarni maintained that they were locked up in the basement of a Sukhdev Vihar house throughout their 19-day Jong. Captivity and made a dramatic escape after being abandoned by their kid rappers. The merchants had bro ken trough the iron grills of the basement, come out and sought help and were rescued by the police.

Article extracted from this publication >> October 11, 1991