NEW DELHI, October 15: The Foreigners' Regional Registration Office (FRRO) officials have detained NRIs Narendra Kumar Naidu, 38 for kidnapping Rachna Sharma, 14 after an Interpol alert. Rachna's parents had filed a complaint in California that their daughter had been kidnapped by Naidu. However, Rachna insists that she is on holiday with her friend and that her parents are aware of it.Both the accused Narendra Kumar Naidu and Rachna Sharma will be handed over to the Interpol authorities who will be arriving in the Capital shortly.
DCP (FRRO) Dharmendra Kumar told Express Newsline: ``The Interpol had alerted the police in all countries that Rachna had been kidnapped from California on September 5. It has also sent information about the physical appearance of the girl and the accused. According to their information, class VIII student Rachna Sharma had been kidnapped by a 38-year-old man who had left the US along with her''.
Naidu was arrested at the airport yesterday while he was waiting to board the Singapore Airlines flight for Canada. The customs officer checking passports at the check-in counter realised that Naidu's appearance and the information in his passport fitted the description provided by the Interpol.
Investigations revealed that Naidu is an environment expert and worked as a smog technician in a California town. Naidu's family had settled in the United States after his birth in Fiji. The police say that he is related to Rachna's step-father and that the Sharmas and Naidus knew each other well.
A day after the alleged kidnapping on September 5, Rachna's parents filed a missing persons report.
Naidu and Rachna flew to England on Septmber 27 and returned to Mumbai on October 6. They were also in Srinagar for four days and reached Delhi only last night. Naidu has stated that Rachna had willingly come with him. Rachna for her part maintains that she left home for a holiday along with Naidu.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.