Patna: The high-profile kidnapping of the son of a prominent Surat-based textile businessman has caused ripples in Bihar with opposition parties criticising the ruling Nitish Kumar government for failing to check rampant abductions in the state.

The victim, who was held in captivity for about a month in a village in Bihar, was released by the kidnappers reportedly after paying Rs250 million (Dh14.7 million).

The police though say the victim paid Rs90 million in exchange for his release.

It has been widely alleged that a top politician was involved in sealing the ransom deal between the kidnappers and victim Sohail Hingora, son of a Surat business magnate Hanif Hingora.

The victim was released only few days ago after his father came all the way from Gujarat and allegedly paid the cash stuffed in many suitcases to the kidnappers near a busy place close to Patna. Reports said initially the kidnappers had sought a ransom of Rs1 billion but eventually the deal was settled at Rs250 million.

“The state government should immediately reveal the name of politician who played the role of go-between for payment of ransom,” Bihar’s former deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi of the BJP told the media on Thursday, adding the it must be revealed which political party he or she was associated with.

He added it needs to be investigated under whose patronage such things have resurfaced in Bihar.

Rashtriya Janata Dal president Lalu Prasad also came down heavily on the ruling regime over the issue ,alleging all kidnappers had now joined the ruling Janata Dal (United) in Bihar.

According to reports, Sohail was brought to Bihar on a car immediately after his kidnapping from Goa on October 29. He was kept subsequently kept in a house at Nayagaon village in northern Bihar’s Saran district and tied to chains.

Reports said the kidnappers never give him a full meal during his 25-day captivity and would often serve him three pieces of baked bread with a few shreds of onion and a sprinkling of salt to ensure he did not gain enough strength to escape.

All the kidnappers who came into contact with him were dressed in kurta-payjama, the dress favoured by politicians. The victim was also reportedly handcuffed in police issue handcuffs, which possibly point to a police link as well.

“I came to Patna in four cars from Surat with a fellow businessman, paid the ransom and got my son released but neither the police nor the intelligence department caught any wind of it. The mental torture I went through in the process can’t be expressed in words,” the victim’s father Hingora told local media.

“We have reports that the kidnappers released the victim after getting a ransom of Rs90 million. We have arrested a person in this connection and further investigation is goihng on,” inspector general of police (operation) Bihar Amit Kumar said.

Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar yesterday (Thursday) said he had taken the matter seriously and it was being thoroughly investigated. Action would be taken against any culprits after the investigation whoever they might be, Kumar said at a press statement.