Bengaluru businessman kidnapped in Lucknow cyber fraud

A businessman from Bengaluru got caught in a cyber fraud scheme in Lucknow. He and his friend were held hostage by a group of young fraudsters. The scammers forced him to ask a friend for ₹ 1 crore. Suspicious of the situation, the friend contacted the police. The businessman, Manjunath, had traveled to Lucknow on March 22. He expected to earn a 10% commission by parking cash through supposed Hawala operators. However, he and his friend Syed Asar Ahmad were taken captive in a car. After more than 24 hours, police rescued them on Monday. According to DCP Nipun Agrawal, police acted on tips and intercepted a suspicious car. They found the victims and three suspects inside. The arrested men, Akash Yadav, Pradeep Pal, and Adarsh Dubey, are college students. Another suspect, Vivek Yadav, managed to escape. Police recovered a firearm, cash, and the car used in the kidnapping. Manjunath learned about the fraudsters through an Instagram page called Sai Hawala Traders. He was promised lucrative returns on investments in cryptocurrency. After arriving in Lucknow, he was instructed to meet the fraudsters, where he was held hostage. Manjunath’s wife raised the alarm when he went missing. She received a call demanding ransom for his release. The police used CCTV footage and other evidence to locate him and track the culprits. The scammers used manipulation tactics, such as making video calls, to create a false sense of security for the victims’ families. Ultimately, the investigation revealed a web of deceit aimed at exploiting victims' greed for quick money, leading to their kidnapping.