Odisha businessman kidnapped over rare Hanuman coin dispute

A dispute over a purported rare 'Hanuman paisa' worth crores led to the kidnapping of a 62-year-old businessman in Odisha's Balangir district. Police have arrested four people, including a journalist and a woman police sub-inspector, for hatching the conspiracy to pressure the victim into paying money.

The main accused, Kshitish Chandra Sahu, told police he had paid the businessman Narendra Sahu Rs 2.7 crore in 2020 for a rare antique Hanuman coin but never received the coin or a refund. Police said they had found no documentary or financial evidence to support the transaction. Hindustan Times reports that the victim was lured to a meeting on August 14, abducted, tied up, assaulted and confined in a Bhubaneswar hotel before being rescued the next day.

NDTV reports that journalist Sanjay Jena impersonated a police officer and escorted the businessman to Khandagiri police station. Sub-inspector Snehamanjari Sahu, the main accused's sister, threatened the victim with criminal cases if he failed to meet a demand. Police recovered 12 staged videos in which the businessman was forced to hold a pistol. The extortion demand was initially Rs 50 lakh, but the case record also refers to Rs 10 crore, police are investigating the discrepancy.