THE KOLKATA police on Tuesday rescued a 19-year-old youth, the son of a businessman, who had been kidnapped for ransom and arrested seven persons in connection with the case, officers said.

The crime was a fallout of an unpaid loan, officers said, adding that further investigation is underway.

On February 2, a 40-year-old businessman filed a police complaint alleging that around 2 pm, a group of persons barged into his residence and after threatening his family  members, abducted his son and fled in a car.

“The complainant said he soon received a video in which his son apparently confirmed that the accused persons had abducted him. The main accused, Sanjay Rajak, later called the complainant and directed him to reach Howrah with Rs. 1.5 lakh for releasing his son,” said an officer.

Meanwhile, the police who had filed a case and launched a probe, instructed the complainant to go to Howrah.

“A police team followed him (businessman), maintaining a safe distance. After reaching the spot, the team intervened and the kidnapped person was rescued from the custody of the accused persons,” the officer said.

Police said that Sanjay Rajak (45), Rajesh Mallick (48), Sonu Kumar Mallick (27) and Bishal Yadav (34), along with three other accused, were nabbed from the spot and were subsequently arrested.

A search was conducted nearby and a car used by the accused was also seized.

Investigations indicated that the complainant had borrowed some money from the accused and did not return the principal amount, police said.