Bhubaneswar: A 22-year-old BTech student from Cuttack has been booked for allegedly staging his own kidnapping to extort Rs 50,000 from his parents to invest in online betting.
The youth, Shubham Samal, was apprehended by police in Cuttack on Monday after a two-day intensive search. A resident of Gadasantri under Banarpal police jurisdiction in Angul, he is studying at Silicon Institute of Technology in Bhubaneswar.
The investigation began on Saturday following a complaint from Samal’s elder sister, Rupali. She reported that Shubham, who had been staying at her residence at OSAP 6th Battalion campus in OMP Square, Cuttack, called their father on June 20, claiming he was abducted by three unknown individuals who were demanding Rs 50,000 for his release. Their father sent the money via UPI.
Following extensive searches, police traced the student to Cuttack and rescued him from Madhupatana near Press Chhak area. He initially claimed three unknown captors released him after receiving the ransom amount. Police, however, grew suspicious and further investigation revealed that the kidnapping was staged. “The student accessed an online application offering rewards for completing tasks. After earning Rs 180 from one task on June 19, he devised the kidnapping scheme the following day to acquire funds from his father for further online investment,” DCP Rishikesh Khilari said.
Shubham was eventually handed over to his family after being issued a warning not to indulge in such acts in the future.
