HYDERABAD, Jan 12: Finally, police have confirmed that an amount of Rs1.4 million out of Rs2 million paid to dacoits as ransom for EDO health of Tando Allahyar, Dr Abdul Jalil Bachani, has been recovered from one of the accomplices of Ali Bux Loond, the ring leader of the gang which had kidnapped Bachani.

“I confirm that Rs1.4 million has been recovered from Aziz Lashari which were paid by EDO Bachani’s family members”, DPO Hyderabad Ghulam Nabi Memon told to Dawn over phone in response to a query about Lashari’s arrest.

He also confirmed that police have also arrested another important gang member, Pathan Rind, who had driven the truck after kidnapping Bachani. “Driving is his second profession while kidnapping for ransom is his main activity”, DPO said.

Police arrested Lashari, a resident of Sakrand in Hatri area during snap-checking and a search which was launched by a police party led by the Hyderabad DPO following safe return of EDO on Saturday night after he was freed by his captor Ali Bux Loond. “The moment we came to know that Rs2 million has been paid we acted very swiftly and arrested Aziz Lashari”, claimed the DPO.

Police sources said that Bachani family had not taken senior police authorities on board that they are going to pay some money as ransom or expenses to dacoits. “They had been denying it before the police that they are ready to make an underhand deal for ransom without taking police on board”, said a police official while requesting anonymity. He said that they had been telling police that they were not going to do that under any circumstances.

Reports said that the cell phone call of Aziz Lashari was traced and then he was chased by the police. He was travelling in a taxi when the vehicle was intercepted near Hatri. “An amount of Rs300,000 were recovered from him and Rs1.1 million was recovered from Lashari’s house in Sakrand”, claimed a police source.

Police had searched Hatri area in the wake of an information that Ali Bux Loond, the ring-leader of kidnappers who had kidnapped Bachani on November 22, was present there. However, police failed to arrest him or any other member of his gang.

SP investigations Ghulam Nabi Keerio was not available to share more details which hinted at involvement of one dozen gang members who have to share the ransom.

Ali Sher Loond, the maternal nephew of Ali Bux Loond, is in police custody.

Three main accused of the case, including Ali Bux Loond, Allah Juriyo and Wakeel Khokhar are yet to be arrested by the police.