- The accused, Priyank Sharma, was running a franchise of the same academy in Bhopal
- The flat where the crime took place had allegedly been rented just one day before the incident
- Fearing arrest, Priyank got himself admitted to the ICU of AIIMS Hospital in Bhopal
In a chilling crime that has stunned Bhopal, the director of a Delhi-based IAS coaching academy was allegedly kidnapped, held hostage for nearly four hours and forced to transfer Rs 1.89 crore online while a pistol was pressed against her temple. The man accused of masterminding the sensational crime was not a stranger, police say, but someone from within her professional circle, Priyank Sharma, who was running a franchise of the same academy in Bhopal.
According to police, Priyank Sharma lured Shubhra Ranjan, Director of Shubhra Ranjan IAS Academy, from Delhi to Bhopal under the pretext of expanding the institute, opening another centre and conducting a seminar. She came to Bhopal believing it was a business visit. Instead, police say, she walked into a carefully planned trap.
Shubhra Ranjan was staying at a 5-star hotel in Bhopal. On Wednesday afternoon, around 2 to 3 pm, Priyank allegedly picked her up from the hotel and took her to a rented flat in the Bagsewaniya area. There, according to the complaint and police investigation, armed men were already waiting. The victim and her associates were allegedly held captive, threatened with death and forced to transfer nearly Rs 1.89 crore into bank accounts linked to "Janakshila Society" and "RS Enterprises".
The flat where the crime took place had allegedly been rented just one day before the incident. Criminals were allegedly called from Datia, Rewa and other places to execute the plan. Police say pistols and country-made firearms were used to terrorise the victim.
Police Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Singh said that a Sundarkand recital was allegedly organised at the same flat to drown out any screams or cries for help. The religious recitation, police say, was not an act of faith but a cover to ensure that the victim's voice did not travel outside the house while she was being held hostage.
For nearly four hours, the victim remained trapped inside a room. With a gun allegedly pointed at her, she was forced to authorise online transfers. Police say the accused also coerced the victims into recording a staged video, apparently to create fear and pressure them into not approaching the police. The video allegedly showed a person tied with ropes and locked inside a box, to suggest that one of her associates could be kidnapped or harmed if she complained.
The complaint in the case was filed by Santosh Kumar, son of Nilendu Thakur, a resident of Hardev Nagar in Delhi. He stated that Shubhra Ranjan and her associates were called to Bhopal by Priyank Sharma and his accomplices under the pretext of admissions and seminars, then taken to an undisclosed location, held hostage by armed men and threatened with death.
Police say Priyank believed the academy director had substantial wealth and hatched the conspiracy to extort a large amount from her. The accused is the son of a retired BHEL official and had previously lived in Delhi, where he had prepared for the UPSC examination. His familiarity with the academy and its functioning allegedly helped him gain the victim's trust.
After the money was transferred, the victim was released on Wednesday night. But by then, the Bhopal Crime Branch had begun moving quickly. Given the seriousness of the case, Police Commissioner Sanjay Kumar formed a special team. Acting on technical evidence and leads, police conducted raids across Bagsewaniya, Katara Hills, Jhagariya village, Sage University, Ayodhya Nagar and Minal Residency.
As pressure mounted, Priyank allegedly began preparing to flee abroad and was reportedly in contact with agents for the same. Police say that, fearing arrest, he got himself admitted to the ICU of AIIMS Hospital in Bhopal, pretending to be seriously unwell.
But the attempt to hide behind a hospital bed did not work. After receiving a tip-off, the Crime Branch team reached AIIMS. Doctors were consulted and, once his condition was found stable, police took him into lawful custody. During the arrest, his mother and wife allegedly created a major commotion and tried to resist the police action, but the team went ahead and arrested him from the hospital.
Following Priyank's interrogation, police arrested five of his accomplices. Six accused, including the alleged mastermind, have been produced before the court. Three more accused remain on run, and the Crime Branch is conducting searches to trace them.
Police have also seized the vehicle and mobile phone allegedly used in the crime. An illegal pistol, believed to have been used during the kidnapping and extortion, along with other incriminating materials, has also been recovered. The role of other people, including Priyank's wife, is currently under investigation.
In a major relief for the victim, police say they acted within hours to freeze the accounts where the Rs 1.89 crore had been transferred. The entire amount has reportedly been put on hold, and the process of returning the money to the victim is being initiated.
