Three get life term in kidnapping case

The Court of Additional Sessions Judge Sandeep Singh Bajwa has sentenced three persons to rigorous life imprisonment in connection with the 2016 kidnapping case of Ranjit Singh, a resident of Dhaipai village.

Those convicted include the conspirator, Mandeep Singh, a cousin of the victim and his partner-in-crime Gurjant Singh, alias Gaggu, residents of Pandori village, and Mandeep Singh, alias Doctor, of Barnala.

Delivering the verdict, the Judge said the prosecution had proven beyond reasonable doubt that the accused, acting with a common intention, kidnapped Ranjit on the evening of April 28, 2016.

The court observed that the incident occurred on a road between Dhapai and Saholi villages. They intended to instill fear of death in the victim and forced his brother, Hardeep Singh Grewal, residing in Holland, to pay a ransom of Rs 30 lakh.

“The evidence shows that the accused kept the victim in illegal confinement, voluntarily caused him injury to extort the ransom and threatened him with dire consequences,” it said.

The case was initially registered on April 28, 2016. However, the breakthrough came on April 30, 2016, when the victim approached the police and narrated harrowing details of his abduction.

A farmer by profession, Ranjit revealed that while he was returning from his evening walk, a grey Scorpio intercepted him. Masked men forcibly dragged him into the vehicle, assaulted and robbed him of two mobiles and Rs 3,000. He identified them by names they used during the incident — ‘Doctor and “Gaggu’.

As per Ranjit’s statement, he was injected with a sedative. When he regained consciousness, he was in a locked room. He identified one of the suspects as Mandeep, alias Doctor, a known face in Pandori village. Later, he overheard a conversation between his cousin Mandeep and Gaggu, confirming that the motive behind the abduction was a property dispute, involving 17 acres recently sold by his family.

The probe led to the arrest of the suspects on May 2, 2016.

Authorities seized Rs 8.9 lakh and two empty bags from the residence of the victim’s cousin. Gaggu’s statement resulted in the recovery of Rs10 lakh in cash and a toy pistol.

Doctor’s disclosure led to the recovery of Rs 10 lakh and the motorcycle used during Ranjit’s release.

Ludhiana