Guwahati: Kidnappers seek 104 Bitcoins (Rs 20 Cr approx.) as ransom in Ankur Surana kidnapping case

The kidnappers sent a link to Ankur’s sister's mobile phone with a QR code asking her to transfer the amount. Ankur was later released, and police arrested 5 people involved

In a first of its kind, kidnappers of Guwahati youth Ankur Surana who was allegedly abducted on February 1 night, demanded a ransom of about Rs 20 crores to be paid in Bitcoins. The kidnappers demanded 104 bitcoins which translates approximately to around Rs 20 crore. But over the next couple of days, the abductors released Ankur and he is safely back home. Guwahati Police arrested five people involved in the case.

When, how and from where was Ankur kidnapped?

Ankur Surana left home on February 1 at around 10:30 p.m. to attend a party and did not return home. Ankur, a resident of Bharalumukh area of Guwahati, was apparently lured to attend a party at the PRP Valley resort in Amching. It was when he was heading there that he was kidnapped and confined in a room.

Ankur’s sister in Mumbai gets ransom call

The next day (February 2), his sister Umang Surana, who lives in Mumbai, received a call from an unknown caller via an internet-based call saying that Ankur was with them and to ensure his safe release, a certain amount of money was to be deposited online through a link that would be provided to them the next morning. Accordingly, on February 3, the kidnappers sent a link on her mobile phone along with a QR code asking her to transfer 104 Bitcoins which is Rs 19,11,692.18 in Indian rupees.

How Police cracked the case?

Manoj Surana, father of Ankur, lodged a complaint with the Police when his son did not return home on February 2. Guwahati police started an investigation. The Police realised that some smart people who knew technology very well were involved in the kidnapping. Police arrested five persons in connection with the kidnapping. Three more accused are still absconding, said police. The Police further said that the people who had kidnapped Ankur were known to him.

The arrested persons have been identified as –Haren Das (48), Rupam Das (33), Rajen Kaimal (33), Azahar Choudhury (29), and Gautam Das (27). 

Upon investigation, it was found that Rupam is the manager of PK’s Eco Retreat, a resort near Guwahati, Kaimal is the cashier of the resort and the other three accused were also workers in the resort.

The kidnappers’ phones were difficult to track because they used hi-tech internet calling facilities making tracing difficult.

Also Read: Assam Shocker: Man brutally assaults another man in Assam’s Hailkandi district, captures entire incident on camera

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