Indian kidnapper case in Shimla reveals suspect lied about Nigerian gang involvement to extort ransom in Bitcoin
Indian kidnapper case in Shimla has taken a shocking turn after police uncovered that a 43-year-old suspect fabricated a story about being forced by a Nigerian gang to abduct three schoolboys.
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The accused, Sumit Sood, was arrested for allegedly kidnapping three students from Bishop Cotton School.
Investigators revealed that Sood made virtual ransom calls to the children’s parents, claiming that a gang of Nigerian citizens was coercing him into demanding payment in Bitcoin.
Shimla Superintendent of Police Sanjeev Gandhi told The Indian Express that the calls were made via the TextMe app, with instructions for parents not to alert the school managment.
The suspect had scoured over three dozen news sites and the school’s website to monitor coverage of the abduction.
When Sood learned on Saturday evening that reports of the missing students had surfaced, he allegedly plotted to move them from his three-storey house in the remote Kokunala village to Chandigarh.
Before the crime, police said, he stole his father’s licensed pistol and parked near the school with a fake number plate, avoiding CCTV surveillance.
During a reconstruction, Sood reportedly showed investigators the spots where he blindfolded the boys, changed his car plates, and traveled to his hideout.
The suspect was due in court Wednesday.
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In a separate incident last month, a Nigerian national, Frank Nandi, claimed Indian anti-narcotics officers planted drugs on him in Mumbai an allegation police deny, stating 200 grams of cocaine were recovered after a tip-off.
Quadri Olaitan is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering news, public affairs, and human-interest stories.
