Sharjah Police arrest 3 for kidnapping and seeking Dh10,000 ransom

Sharjah: Sharjah Police on Sunday arrested three Bangladeshis for kidnapping a compatriot and demanding a ransom of Dh10,000.

The victim, Zaher Iqbal, has been rescued and police confirmed that he was unharmed and is in good health.

Lieutenant Colonel Yousuf Mousa Al Naqbi, director of Sharjah Police's Criminal Investigation Department (CID), said the abductors held the hostage in an apartment at Al Nabba'a area.

Sharjah Police said they received a call from a company owner reporting that one of his employees had been kidnapped.

The company owner explained that the kidnappers had initially contacted one of the victim's friends and demanded the ransom money for the victim's release.

Lt Col Al Naqbi said the CID immediately formed a team to investigate the case, and within 24 hours were able to identify the location where the hostage was held.

The CID raided the apartment and arrested two suspects, Masoud M. and Mohammad M.

Police then found a locked room and upon breaking into it, they discovered the victim guarded by one of the suspects, identified as Abu Q. S.

The suspects were all residing illegally in the country, police said.

"We expect these types of kidnapping cases to increase among illegal residents as companies continue employing them."

"When they are held hostage, they cannot report it to the police because they are illegal, and instead inform their families back home to pay the ransom," said Lt Col Al Naqbi.

During the interrogation, the suspects confessed to carrying out the kidnapping and said the reason behind it was they were previously swindled by the victim.

The suspects said that they gave Iqbal money in exchange for entry visas for them and their families, however, the visas were never delivered.

The victim denied any involvement with the suspects and claimed that he never met them before.

The case has been referred to the Sharjah Public Prosecution.