Those held by police in kidnapping case including Payal and her boyfriend Shetty

Ahmedabad, 26 October, 2011

A 21-year-old collegian girl Payal Bhalchandani was today arrested by Ahmedabad police for kidnap of her 6-year-old cousin brother.

Police also arrested three others – one of them Nishant Shetty is boyfriend of Payal.

According to police 6-year-old child Aditya and her 21-year-old cousin sister Payal both were missing since yesterday evening after they went to medical store on two-wheeler.

Later the parents of Aditya received telephone call demanding Rs 1 crore for Aditya’s safety and delivery.

The family called police and simultaneously agreed with a person on the other end of phone call with some bargain.

Accordingly early in the morning on Wednesday, father of Aditya went to S.G.Highway to pay Rs 25 lakh cash and Rs 18 lakh jewellery to kidnappers.

As soon as kidnappers arrived on bike and received the money, police team present at some distance in simple dress nabbed them.

When cops asked about Payal who was also missing with Aditya, the kidnappers told that Payal was part of the kidnapping plot. They said Aditya was kept at one office that was closed due to Diwali.

Police arrested Payal and rescued Aditya from kidnappers.

Payal confessed that she had plotted kidnapping of her cousin brother because she was emotionally attached with her boyfriend who had lost Rs 10 lakh in bating and was needing money.

Ahmedabad Crime Branch police officer Himanshu Shukla said there was an incident of Rs 65,000 theft at Payal’s house, and Payal was alone at the time of that incident, therefore it is also possible that she only could be responsible for that theft act to help her boyfriend.

Payal is student of SM Patel college in Ahmedabad.

When media persons were capturing the accused, Payal was covering her face with hands, however her boyfriend Shetty and other accused were open and out in front of cameras.

-Kidnapped boy Aditya’s father Bharatbhai Bhungadumal is owner of Maninagar’s Mansarovar hotel. The hotel is located near old Maninagar railway crossing.
-Payal and Bharatbhai’s son went on Activa at 6.00 pm yesterday for shopping.
-Even at 8.00 Payal and Aditya didn’t return.
-Bharatbhai and family inquired about Aditya and Payal with Payal’s friends but couldn’t fetch any detail.
-At 8.45 pm Bharatbhai received phone call on landline. The person on other end told him in Hindi that both Payal and Aditya were under his possession and for their safe return Bharatbhai would have to manage Rs. 1 crore.
-After some time another in another phone call, Bharatbhai was asked whether he had managed the money or not yet. When Bharatbhai replied that he couldn’t manage this much of big amount, the person told Bharatbhai that he could settle with Rs 50 lakh otherwise he has committed murders thrice and he could do it for one more time.
-At 10.30 pm there was another phone call on land line and the kidnapper told Bharatbhai that ‘you are a heart patient and you also will die and your children too will die, how much money you can manage?’ To this, Bharatbhai replied that he could manage Rs 10 lakh. Bharatbhai also asked where to reach, and at what location he should come and give money.
-On the other side, Bharatbhai was in touch with Ahmedabad police. Crime Branch PI Baldevsinh Solanki, ACP Mayursinh Chavda and DCP Himanshu Shukla arranged a trap on SG highway at various points.
-Meanwhile the culprits arrived in a vehicle and then ultimately accused were held.
-Those arrested are Dhwanit Dilipbhai Shah(24), Mrudang apartment, Vasna, Devendra Subhashbhai Shukla, Shruti Society, Maninagar, and Payal along with Payal’s boyfriend Nishant Shetty.
-Nishant Shetty was caught in a call centre office in multy story building in Ellis bridge area. Shetty and Payal’s friend Dwanit was working in this office and Dhwanit’s boss had full faith in him, therefore the keys of the office were in Dhwanit’s possession. As call center was closed on Diwali, Dhwanit provided that place to keep kidnapped child. When police reached the office, Shetty was there with a child.
-Ultimate plan was to get money and kill Aditya so that he could not tell the story to family and police that Payal was involved.
-Nishant’s father owns chemical factory in Vatva. Payal’s father has electronics store.
Dhwanik’s father is labor contractor while Devendra shukla’s father owns pan gallo.
-The had first decided that each would take Rs 25 lakh out of total Rs 1 crore likely to be received from Nishant’s father.
-Aditya, a kidnapped child was given only one sandwich during the time of his confinement.
-Shetty, a boyfriend of Payal has habit of taking drugs.
-Payal had also started drinking and smoking.

A photograph of Payal