In a dramatic rescue operation, the Patna Police, with assistance from the Special Task Force (STF), successfully freed a 22-year-old hotel receptionist who had been kidnapped earlier this month. The incident, which unfolded in the state capital, has led to the arrest of six individuals, including a woman, and exposed a high-value fraud related to government job promises.
The Kidnapping and Rescue Operation
Santosh Kumar, who works as a receptionist at a hotel in Patna's Nageshwar Colony, was allegedly abducted from the Buddha Colony police station area on January 5. His brother filed a formal kidnapping complaint with the police two days later, on January 7. Acting on the complaint, a joint team from the local police and the STF launched an investigation, which culminated in the victim's rescue from the Islampur area of Nalanda district on Friday.
According to City SP (Central) Diksha, the victim provided a harrowing account of his ordeal after being rescued. Santosh alleged that the accused, Anuj Kumar, Nishant Malhotra, and Vinod Kumar, lured him to a spot near the ISKCON temple under the pretext of collecting money. From there, they took him on a motorcycle to Ramkrishna Nagar. The kidnappers then booked a car and transported him to Biharsharif, where he was tortured, before finally moving him to a house in Islampur, where he was held captive.
The Motive: A Crore-Rupee Job Scam
During interrogation, the police uncovered the shocking motive behind the kidnapping. The arrested accused claimed that Santosh Kumar, along with the owner of the hotel where he worked, had defrauded them of more than Rs 1 crore. This large sum was taken in exchange for promises of securing positions as secretariat assistants in the state's social welfare department.
The SP detailed the financial breakdown of the alleged fraud, stating, "The accused claimed that Santosh and the hotel owner had taken Rs 67 lakh in cash, with the remaining amount transferred through online channels." The investigation revealed that all the candidates who paid money had transferred different amounts based on the assurances given.
Arrests and Ongoing Investigation
The police have taken six people into custody in connection with the case. The arrested individuals have been identified as:
- Anuj Kumar
- Vidyasagar Sharma
- Nishant Malhotra
- Vinod Kumar
- Hridyanand Yadav
- Nirmala Devi
A key detail that emerged from the police questioning was the role of a middleman. Anuj Kumar told investigators that Santosh had introduced them to a person named Rakesh Kumar Ranjan. Ranjan was the one who allegedly gave firm assurances about confirmation for the secretariat assistant jobs, which led the group to part with their money.
The case has taken a complex turn, blending elements of kidnapping, fraud, and a promised government job scam. While the victim is now safe, the police are continuing their investigations to uncover the full network behind the fraudulent job promises and to determine the precise roles of all involved, including the hotel owner and Rakesh Kumar Ranjan.
