The arrested has been identified as Ravi Beladiya aka Tulsi Bhai aka Rudra, 24, from Gujarat of India. He had been residing in Imadol-16 of Maha Laxmi Municipality in Lalitpur district.
According to the police, the accused Beladiya with the assistance of Munna Patel, who is currently at large, had plotted to kidnap the two men for ransom amount of Indian Rs 500,000.
On March 27, Mahesh Patel and his uncle Walu Patel, who are from Surat-1 of Gujrat and had been living in Dhangadhi-7 of Kailali district, were taken hostage by the accused under the pretext of renewing Indian license.
"During their meeting in Nepalgunj, Beladiya told them that he has connections with officials at the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu and he could renew their licenses without any hassles," according to DSP Dayanidhi Gyawali, spokesperson at the Metropolitan Police Range Office, Lalitpur.
The two were easily convinced with their proposal and reached Kathmandu as per the kidnappers' plan, police said, adding, "But as they reached the rented room of Beladiya, the two knew that they were held hostages. They were guarded by four men and ransoms were demanded from their families in India."
Initially, the kidnappers had demanded Indian Rs 500,000 but the hostages were released after their family was ready to pay the ransom amount of Indian Rs 200,000 (NRs 320,000) within three days of the kidnapping.
According to preliminary investigations, Beladiya and Patel masterminded the kidnap after identifying that one of the victims was a staffof a diamond factory in India.
After interrogation, it has been learnt that Munna is the major kingpin behind the crime but the police are yet to make the arrest. Beladiya, who was also at large since the incident, had reached Kathmandu about two weeks ago from India.
District Court Lalitpur decided to remand him in police custody for further investigation.
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