Man gets 14 year imprisonment in kidnapping case

Farhat Hussain Shah has been sentenced to 14 years imprisonment by a British Court here over the weekend, for kidnapping an old man from Faisalabad last year and demanding 18,000 pounds ransom from his sons. British Metropolitan Police Kidnap Unit, in cooperation with Pakistani Police, had arrested Farhat Hussain Shah of Westhorne Avenue, Eltham, London, for kidnapping the old man on February 22, last year, said Police sources.
The release of the old man, whose name could not be known, was secured within four days. According to details, two men tricked the old man in Faisalabad into a car with them by claiming to be friends of his son in London. Once in the car, they drove the hostage to a stronghold, where he was beaten, pistol-whipped, drugged and chained up.
During captivity of the old man, Hussain made calls demanding a ransom of 18,000 pounds from the victim's son in Pakistan and another son in London. A controlled meeting took place in Eltham in London where one of the sons of the old man, met the defendant to hand over part of the ransom.
After receiving the cash, the defendant arranged for the hostage to be released in Pakistan. He was arrested shortly afterwards by officers from the British Police Kidnap Unit which was in liaison with Pakistani Police authorities. British Police officers travelled to Pakistan to gain evidence during the operation.
Hussain, after arrest here was facing kidnap charges in British court which announced its decision over the weekend after he pleaded guilty. Four accused arrested in Pakistan were awaiting trial on allegations of kidnap and false imprisonment.
Farhat Hussain Shah, pleaded guilty "to conspiracy to kidnap, false imprisonment and blackmail" and was sentenced on Friday by a British Court at Middlesex Guildhall.
Detective Inspector John Loudon, from the Met's Kidnap unit, said commenting on the occasion said, "this was a particularly traumatic incident for the hostage, who was beaten, drugged and held against his will for four days before police action led to his release. The sentence reflects the serious nature of this offence and highlights our determination to bring to justice the people responsible for these crimes.