After a period of about four months, an associate of the prime accused in the kidnapping of Kolkata- based businessman and his driver in Sundargarh was arrested and forwarded to court by Sundargarh police on Friday.
Police had earlier arrested two persons in the kidnapping case. Another four, including the kingpin in the case, are still absconding. Pratik Patodia (31), director of Ashok Multiyarn Mills limited (AMMl), Kirei, Sundargarh and his driver Rohit Tanty, had been kidnapped from Badbahal area on SH 10 on July 22.
On July 26, driver Rohit had managed to escape from the clutch of the kidnappers. later, with aid of Rohit, the police had rescued Pratik from Tikiripara area under Saintala police station. One Mukund Nag was nabbed on the spot and later, the police had arrested another accused, identified as Sidhartha Kamble. But five other accused, including prime accused Bansal, had absconded.
The police had confirmed that as many as seven persons were involved in the case out of which two had been arrested. On Thursday, Bhasma police IIC AK Giri along with other police officials of Sundargarh police and Kantabanjhi police of Balangir district, conducted raid in a house at Kantabanjhi and nabbed Kailash Agarwal(36).
According to police, Agarwal was working as a manager for prime accused Bansal and had played a key role in kidnapping Patodia and his driver.
“After arresting accused Kailash Agarwal, we have got some lead about the other four accused,” said SP N Kanoria.