Pune man fakes kidnapping to get ₹2 lakh ransom
A 21-year-old security guard, Manish Kumar Dwivedi, tried to scam his own family by pretending he'd been kidnapped and demanding ₹2 lakh as ransom.
On February 9, he told his family he was headed home but then cut off contact.
The next day, his dad and brother got a WhatsApp message threatening harm if they didn't pay up.
Worried, the family rushed to Pune and filed a police complaint.
He was hiding in a housing society
Police checked CCTV and spotted Dwivedi alone in an autorickshaw—no kidnappers in sight.
Turns out, he was hiding out at a housing society from February 9-12 while calling his family as if he were captive.
He later traveled to Ahmedabad and Prayagraj before returning to Pune later in February.
When questioned by police, Dwivedi admitted making it all up for money—mainly to fuel his gaming addiction.
After getting ₹10,000 from his family, he was arrested later in February for extortion and giving false information.
He's now in custody while the investigation continues.