Businessmen held hostage & forced to reveal property details

The Wellawatta police on Monday (28) arrested two suspects over a billionaire businessman residing in Gomes drive in Wellawatte, being taken into hostage.

The suspects had posed as military intelligence officers, reports say.

The businessman was handcuffed and assaulted after being taken hostage and had been forced to reveal details of his properties.

It is said that the businessman had rented a part of his house to the suspects for a daily rate of Rs. 10,000.

Since they had not paid for 05 days, the businessman had gone to inquire the reason for the delay. At that moment, the suspects had stated they are Military intelligence officers and had taken him hostage and handcuffed him.

The businessman's brother and brother-in-law were also summoned to the house amid threats and were taken hostage as well.

However, one person had freed himself from the suspects' clutches and alerted the Wellawatta police. Subsequently, the police had arrived and arrested the suspects.

Police have revealed that the suspects were residents of the Maradana and Kilinochchi areas and one of them had revealed that they had got the handcuffs from an Army Corporal.