May 30, Kathmandu: An Indian gang lured a Bangladeshi national to Nepal under the pretense of tourism and then kidnapped him in Kathmandu, extorting hundreds of thousands of rupees, according to an investigation by Kathmandu District Police.
The extortion, carried out from three different countries — India, Nepal (Kathmandu), and Hong Kong — involved cross-border coordination, as revealed by Kathmandu police.
A special team from Kathmandu police arrested five Indian nationals involved in the international abduction and extortion scheme.
Those arrested are:
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Shiv Saurabh (38) from New Delhi
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Deepak Kumar (32) from Punjab
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Sandeep Kumar (36) from Punjab
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Jaspreet Singh (38) from Punjab
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Ramesh Jadhav (64) from Kanpur
According to Kathmandu Police SP Apilraj Bohora, the gang extorted ransom from the victims’ families through cryptocurrency. “We suspect this group may have been involved in similar incidents in the past, and we are continuing our investigation,” he said.
Ransom from a Rented House
Investigations revealed that the gang contacted the victims online, promising cheap trips to Nepal or routes to Europe. Once the Bangladeshi nationals arrived in Kathmandu, they were kidnapped, held hostage, and extorted for ransom.
Initially, the victims were kept in hotels in Thamel and Gaushala to gain their trust. Later, they were taken to a rented house in Lalitpur, where they were held captive. The gang had rented the house for NPR 70,000 (approx. $525) per month specifically for this purpose.
Jaspreet Singh, one of the main suspects, rented a house in Bodhinagar, Lalitpur Metropolitan City–15 from Nayan Krishna Shrestha. Singh himself had been staying at Room 303 of the Himalaya Apartment Hotel in Pulchowk since March 31, paying NPR 52,000 per month.
The captives were tied up, beaten with pipes, and threatened with death. The gang even made video calls to their families, threatening to kill them if ransom was not paid.
Search from Bangladesh to Kathmandu
The kidnappers sent disturbing photos and videos — including images of a knife to the victim’s throat — to the victim’s family through social media. They demanded payment in cryptocurrency via the Binance app.
Despite paying, the victims were not released. Frustrated, Sabbir Ahmed’s brother MD Fojle Rabbi traveled to Kathmandu on May 21 to rescue him. He had already paid $30,000 in ransom via Binance.
Upon arrival, he filed a complaint at Gaushala Police Station on May 22. The investigation uncovered that not only Sabbir but six other Bangladeshi nationals had been kidnapped.
The Victims
SP Bohora confirmed that seven Bangladeshi citizens were abducted and held for ransom:
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Tahud Ahmed
Arrived in Kathmandu on May 20, abducted from Thamel on May 23. Robbed of $3,500. Ransom was later demanded from his family. He has since returned to Bangladesh. -
Jahidul Gani
Arrived on May 22, kidnapped the same day. Robbed of $3,200 and his phone. Still in Kathmandu. -
Majahidul Islam
Arrived on May 28, abducted the next day from Gaushala. Robbed of $1,900, with further ransom extorted from his family. -
Sabbir Ahmed
Also arrived on May 28, kidnapped on May 29 from Gaushala. Robbed of $2,000. His brother paid $30,000 in crypto ransom. -
Jolil Abdul
Arrived on May 31, abducted the same day from Gaushala. Robbed of $2,020 and further extorted. -
Mohiuddin Farhan
Arrived on May 31, abducted and robbed of $2,500. -
Kibrai Ahmed
Arrived on May 31, abducted and robbed of $2,600. His family was also extorted.
Initially, Sabbir and Majahidul were kept at Middle Temple Hotel in Sinamangal. CCTV footage showed that they were taken from there on May 17 by a man known as “Rane,” who is still at large. Following the trail from the CCTV, police tracked the gang to the rented house in Lalitpur.
This case has exposed an international abduction racket using Nepal as a hub and highlights the urgent need for cross-border law enforcement coordination.
