Three men, including two under-suspension civil police officers, who attempted to kidnap a businessman on the pretext of an Enforcement Directorate raid were arrested by the Kerala Police on Wednesday from Kattakada here.
Vineeth (36), who is a CPO and under suspension since October last year, and co-accused Arun (35) were caught by the Kattakada police in the morning, a release issued by the police said.
Subsequently, Kiran Kumar (36), a CPO who was also under suspension since October 2022, was arrested in the afternoon, it said.
The three were arrested following registration of an FIR under Sections 394 (voluntarily causing hurt in committing robbery), 419 (cheating by personation), 363 (kidnapping), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code as well as various provisions of the Arms Act, the release said.
The FIR was lodged on the basis of the complainant by the businessman—43-year-old Mujeeb—who alleged that the trio, dressed as police officers, stopped his vehicle near Poovachal here on June 24 and one of them entered his car and handcuffed him to the steering wheel, it said.
On asking the reason for the same, they said it was part of an ED raid, but the complainant got suspicious and started yelling for help, police said.
The trio threatened to shoot him dead if he did not shut up, but the complainant continued to shout for help, and failing to drive away with him in the vehicle, they fled the scene in another car, police said.
Thereafter, the complainant was released from the handcuffs only after the police reached there, the release said.
The three men were traced and arrested based on CCTV footage, mobile tower locations, and other evidence, police said.
