In a major breakthrough on the kidnapping and robbery attempt case on the son of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu’s media advisor, the Shimla police today arrested the mastermind of the crime. The police also seized about 10 live cartilages from his possession.
The accused has been identified as Manish Verma alias Manu (46), a resident of Jagheri village in the Theog subdivision of Shimla district. He was currently residing in Bhattakufar in Shimla, and was working as property dealer and contractor.
Police officials stated that on March 20, they received a complaint from Aaryan Chauhan, son of Naresh Chauhan and general secretary of Himachal Pradesh Youth Congress, that some unknown individuals in a car approached him with a firearm and a metal road with an intention of robbery and kidnapping near Tarapur village when he was on his way to Shimla. However, the accused fled from the spot as Chauhan jumped off the vehicle.
Acting swiftly, the police registered a case and reached the crime scene, where they seized the abandoned car in which the accused were travelling.
As the investigation proceeded, the police identified two individuals involved in the crime, namely Tashi Negi, a resident of Narkanda and Charanjeet Singh, a resident of Sanjauli, who were arrested by the police on March 23.
The investigation revealed that Manu was the mastermind of this entire crime. He monitored Aryan’s daily activities before planning the kidnapping.
Manu is a history-sheeter, and a case under the NDPS Act was registered against him on January 3, 2006, when he was arrested from Dhalli with 830 g hashish.
Another case was registered against him on April 20, 2009 in Theog when he tied up a watchman and stole timber. A case of kidnapping and assault was also registered against him in the Deha region of Shimla on December 14, 2021.
Police said further investigation is on.
