Malaysia Update

Some of the suspects who were ordered to be remanded by the Petaling Jaya Sessions Court on Wednesday. (Inset) Paremsvaran Ramu @ Veera who is sought by the police.

KUALA LUMPUR: A 7-year-old kidnap victim was released after his family paid a ransom of RM1 million last week.



(Inset) Paremsvaran Ramu @ Veera who is sought by the police.
However, within days of the boy's release, police arrested 14 suspects and recovered part of the ransom.

Investigations revealed that the kidnap was carried by a large gang which was broken up into four groups. Each group had specific roles to play and they were scattered across three states.

The boy was kidnapped early on April 10 when his mother was about to drop him off at school near his house in Bandar Utama.

Federal Criminal Investigation Department director Datuk Seri Bakri Zinin said a Proton Satria with four dark-skinned men stopped next to the mother's car.
The mother was pushed to the ground and the kidnappers, armed with sharp weapons, grabbed the boy before driving away with him.

Bakri said the mother tried to fight back but was injured. The kidnappers drove past the security post and were believed to have pointed the weapons at the guards who tried to stop the car.

The boy was believed to have been held in a condominium in Kepong for four days while the kidnappers negotiated with his businessman father over the ransom.

On April 14, the boy was released near the security post leading to his home in Bandar Utama some 30 minutes after the ransom of RM1 million was dropped off in front of a bank in Kepong Baru.

Acting on a tip-off, police began their first wave of arrests on April 21 where nine men and four women, between the ages of 19 and 70, were arrested at several undisclosed locations in Selangor.

Bakri said RM319,700 of the ransom was also recovered from this group. In follow-up operations, police picked up three other suspects in Bukit Fraser, Pahang, Juasseh, Negri Sembilan and Serdang, Selangor. Bakri said 14 of the suspects have been remanded while two others were released. Three of the suspects also have criminal records.

Initial investigations revealed that most of the suspects were car repossessors and security guards while the women in the gang were housewives.

Police believe that the oldest member of the gang, said to be a 70-year-old man, masterminded the kidnapping.

It was also learnt that police are probing the possibility that the suspects were linked to the security guards in the housing estate or were employees of the victim's father.

Bakri said they were looking for several other suspects. He said the boy was still traumatised but was safe with his parents.

Meanwhile, police are looking for Paremsvaran Ramu @ Veera (IC 830625-05-5259) to assist in the investigations.

Paremsvaran's last known address was at 587/18A, Jalan Waterfall, Taman Hijau, Rawang, Selangor. Those with information on his whereabouts can contact Assistant Superintendent Mohd Hasreeq Yunus at 03-79662222 or the nearest police station.