A misspelled word in a ransom note led police to uncover a staged kidnapping in Hardoi district, Uttar Pradesh, where a man attempted to extort ₹50,000 from his elder brother, officials said on Wednesday.
The incident unfolded on January 5 when Sanjay Kumar, a contractor from Bandaraha village, reported to the police that he had received a ransom note demanding ₹5,000 for the release of his 27-year-old brother, Sandeep. The note warned that failure to pay would result in his brother’s “death” – a misspelling of “death.” Kumar also received a 13-second video showing Sandeep tied up with a rope.
Superintendent of Police (SP) Neeraj Kumar Jadaun said the misspelled word raised suspicion that the culprit was not well-educated. Adding to the doubts, Kumar had no known enemies, and the ransom demand was relatively small.
By tracking Sandeep’s phone, police located him in Rupapur. During questioning, officers asked him to write a ransom note similar to the one sent earlier. Sandeep again misspelled “death” as “death,” confirming their suspicions.
Under further interrogation, Sandeep admitted to faking his kidnapping. He revealed that the idea came from watching the popular crime show CID. Facing financial difficulties, he devised a plan to extort money from his brother.
Sandeep, who worked at a cane purchase center in Mirzapur, had recently been involved in an accident on December 30, where his motorcycle hit an elderly man in Sahabad, causing a leg fracture. The injured party was demanding compensation, leaving Sandeep in urgent need of funds.
The police arrested Sandeep for the staged abduction. The SP emphasized the importance of vigilance in such cases, noting how even small details like spelling errors can help unravel complex situations.
