September 19, 2008	Friday	Ramazan 18, 1429

HYDERABAD, Sept 18: Police have arrested two members of a gang which had kidnapped the director-general designs of provincial works and services department and recovered the ransom money of Rs3.6 million paid to the kidnappers.

Hyderabad DPO Ghulam Nabi Memon told journalists at the district police lines here on Thursday that Munawar Junejo had paid the ransom money however its exact amount couldn’t be disclosed at this stage. He said police had recovered Rs36,98,703 from kidnappers and more members of the gang would be arrested.

He said the identification parade of the dacoits would be conducted in the court where Munawar Junejo would identify them.

He disclosed that two dacoits, Manzoor Magsi and Ghulam Hyder Marri had been arrested and a car which was used by the dacoits had been seized as well.

He said Shaukat Magsi was the owner of the car and he had also been arrested. He said two suspects Mohammad Hussain and Maula Bux had also been detained as they were travelling along with Manzoor Magsi, who was driving the car.

The DPO said that Maula Bux was being interrogated because the phone number of kidnapper was found in the phonebook of his cellphone. He said that Maula Bux and Mohammad Hussain would be released if they were found not guilty of any crime.

“The payment of ransom was made in Tando Masti Khan area of Khairpur district where Junejo was kidnapped near Kot Diji fort,” said the DPO.He informed that police had used an important facilitator of kidnappers for consideration of ransom money and he was providing all sorts of information to police in respect of movement of kidnappers.

“We will not challan him because he has no role in the kidnapping. He was facilitating dacoits for consideration of money and we purchased him for providing valuable information,” said the DPO.

He said kidnappers had initially demanded Rs30 million through cellphone and then they cut the amount which couldn’t be disclosed at this point of time.

He said police gave top priority to safe recovery of Junejo and police found some opportunities to bust the gang. Eight packets of Rs5000 denomination currency notes were paid to kidnappers which had been recovered and identified by hostage as well, he said.