Police Rescue Kidnapped Pakistani Businessman, 10 Compatriots Nabbed

SHAH ALAM (Malaysia), Jan 21 (Bernama) -- The police have rescued a Pakistani businessman, nine days after he was kidnapped and held captive by a gang comprising compatriots who demanded RM1.7 million (US$1=RM3.10) ransom to secure his release. On Thursday, a police team rescued the 24-year-old victim in a raid at a premises in Kajang. He was found to be safe and in good health. In a follow-up operation, the team detained 10 Pakistanis at several locations in Kajang, Banting and Seremban (Negri Sembilan), believed to have been involved in the kidnapping. Several items, including 10 sim cards, nine mobile phones, five passports, cash, wallet, international driving licence, car and motorcycle were seized from foreigners aged between 26 and 41. Selangor police chief Tun Hisan Tun Hamzah told reporters today that the victim was kidnapped by a gang on Jan 10, three days after he had arrived in the country to manage a business. He said the son of a Pakistani businessman was staying alone at his uncle's house in Bandar Baru Bangi when he was kidnapped by three men who broke into the premises. "The kidnappers had demanded a RM1.7 million ransom from the victim's family to secure his release," he said. Tun Hisan said the suspects, who held valid passports and were working in the country, were remanded until Jan 25 to facilitate investigations under Section 3 of the Kidnap Act 1961. -- BERNAMA