Gujarat couple seeking to enter US illegally held captive in Iran by Pakistani agent

PTI, Jun 20, 2023, 11:29 AM IST

A young couple from Naroda area in Gujarat’s Ahmedabad city that planned to enter the US illegally has been held hostage in Iran by a Pakistani agent who has sought money for their release, police said.

A process was on to register an FIR in this connection at Krushnanagar Police Station in Naroda area. The Ahmedabad city crime branch has started an investigation into the matter, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Chaitanya Mandlik said on Monday.

Since the incident has taken place outside the country, the crime branch will approach the Indian Embassy in Iran with all details to secure the release of the couple, identified as Pankaj Patel and his wife Nisha Patel, both aged 29, the official said.

As per details shared with Krushnanagar police by the couple’s family, the two wanted to enter the US illegally and came in contact with a Hyderabad-based agent who arranged for their air tickets.

As per the agent’s plan, the couple was supposed to land at Tehran in Iran and then proceed further as per instructions, police said. However, after they landed at Tehran airport a few days back, a Pakistani agent took them to a hotel and held them hostage for ransom, officials said. The Pakistani agent and his accomplices thrashed Pankaj Patel and sent a video to his kin and sought a huge amount of money to release the couple, they added.