‘Kidnapped’ Basti man had escaped to Ayodhya for mental peace: Police

A man from Basti’s Rudhauli confessed to staging his own kidnapping and escaping to Ayodhya for “mental peace” for two days even as his family had reported him missing to police, officials said.

Police said Sonu Chaudhary, 22, who was last seen by his family members on February 6 night, was reported missing by his brother Sanjay the next day.

As per the complaint, Sonu called his fiancée and claimed that five to six unidentified men had surrounded, assaulted and abducted him. Based on the complaint, an FIR was registered under Section 140(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and a search operation was launched.

A special police team was formed under the supervision of the Rudhauli station in-charge, said Basti superintendent of police Yesh Veer Singh.

SP Singh said that during the investigation, police found that Sonu had himself called an autorickshaw driver, Gulam Hussain Ansari, who dropped him about 25 km away at Bade Van Chauraha in Basti.

“CCTV footage showed Sonu walking safely in Basti city around 55 minutes after the alleged kidnapping. Further, the driver and conductor of bus number UP78 KN 0179 confirmed that Sonu later boarded a Lucknow-bound bus,” said the officer.

Amid the search operation, Sonu appeared at the police station and admitted that he had fabricated his kidnapping. He stated that he was under severe stress due to borrowed money and constant pressure from lenders, along with ongoing family issues.

To buy time and escape the pressure, he falsely informed his fiancée about being abducted, deliberately leaving behind his car and mobile phone at the spot before travelling by autorickshaw to Basti and then to Ayodhya.

“Sonu Chaudhary stayed at a ‘dharamshala’ in Ayodhya for two days and visited the Ram temple to seek mental peace,” the SP said.

Police officials said the swift investigation and scientific evidence conclusively established that no kidnapping had taken place.