Hyderabad: A four-member suspected North Indian gang chose Hyderabad for the meticulously planned kidnap of a Gujarati businessman and extortion of money from his family.

The gang lured the victim, brought him to Hyderabad from his hometown Ahmedabad paying his flight charges and detained him at a flat at Hasmathpet near Alwal, where he was tortured for 24 hours for a ransom of Rs 3.5 crore.

After the victim’s son handed over Rs 25 lakh to the gang’s agents in Gujarat the injured man was released and the gang fled. The 44-year-old Manojbhai Purohit, managing director of VPurohit Caterers in Ahmedabad, approached Alwal police after he was released on Tuesday.

Mr Purohit told the police that he was tied up in a room, slapped and beaten with ropes continuously till he agreed to pay the money. The gang had deployed a Mumbai-based hawala gang to collect the cash from his son in Gujarat.

The gang contacted the victim over phone 15 days ago introducing themselves as the owners of a chemical manufacturing company based at Begumbazaar. “They said they were going to organise a dinner at a five star hotel for their staff and clients.

After many conversations over the phone, they convinced him that there will be 2,000 guests for the dinner. They also discussed the menu and cost of food and asked Purohit to come to Hyderabad for discussions. They also sent him flight tickets,” said Alwal inspector S.V. Harikrishna.

Purohit reached RGIA on Monday and the gang sent a cab to pick him up. "They brought me to Bysani Towers and confined me in flat number 103. They tied me up and demanded Rs 3.5 crore. During the torture I bargained and reduced the ransom to Rs 25 lakh and asked my son to pay the money,” the victim said.

Police suspects a Rajasthani gang. “The gang had hired the flat from the owner who lives in the same area saying it’s for a family. They also paid three months rent in advance and got the flat on January 15,” said inspector Harikrishna. The police booked a case for kidnap, extortion and assault. A team has also been formed to track down the gang.