Court convicts 3 men in 2009 kidnapping case

New Delhi, Aug 26 (PTI) A court here has convicted three men of conspiracy and kidnapping, fifteen years after a man paid them Rs 2 crore to secure the release of his kidnapped son.

Additional Sessions Judge Virender Kumar Kharta was hearing a case against the three accused and said that the prosecution had proved them guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Additional Public Prosecutor Pankaj Ranga said that the trio, Gaurav Chauhan, Ankur Singh and Sahi Ram abducted Nikunj Mittal on July 27, 2009, and demanded Rs 2 crore ransom from his father Rajiv Mittal, which was eventually paid to them two days later.

Rajiv was a businessman based in Old Delhi and his son was kidnapped within Kashmere Gate police limits, he said.

In an order passed on Saturday, the court said that the testimonies of the father and complainant Rajiv and the victim Nikunj were, natural, of sterling quality, and withstood the rigours of cross-examination.

“This court is of the considered opinion that the testimonies are clear, cogent, credible, trustworthy and consistent and have been corroborated by the testimony of other prosecution witnesses as well as the medical, scientific and circumstantial evidence on record,” the judge said.

In the 91-page verdict, he said the scientific and circumstantial evidence also proved the accused’s guilt.

“It has been established by the prosecution that accused Sahi Ram was involved in the kidnapping or abduction of Nikunj Mittal and he also remained present with the victim in the room where he was kept in captivity,” the court said.

It said that the prosecution had also established that accused Ankur Singh collected the ransom amount.

“The prosecution has proved beyond reasonable doubt that Nikunj Mittal was abducted by all the three accused persons for the demand of ransom amount which was duly delivered to them and the facts established by the prosecution towards the guilt of the accused persons is consistent,” the court said.

It said that “the chain of evidence” against the three accused was “complete”, and there was no other probability except for their guilt.

“This court is of the considered opinion that the prosecution has proved its case beyond reasonable doubt against the accused persons,” the judge said convicting them under penal provisions for criminal conspiracy, kidnapping or abduction for ransom and criminal intimidation.

The court, however, acquitted Chauhan under the provisions of the Arms Act.

The court has posted the matter for filing income and asset affidavits of the convicts on August 29, following which the arguments on sentencing will be heard.