Ransom paid for kidnapped Indian trader’s release

COTABATO CITY , Philippines  â€“ Ransom was paid in exchange for the release last week of Indian trader Krishan Singh Arora at the border of Lanao del Sur and Lanao del Norte provinces, his daughter revealed yesterday.

Arora’s daughter, Kritika, who is based in Canada, denied over Catholic station dxMS the statement of Senior Superintendent Madid Paicao, director of the Lanao del Norte police, that Arora escaped while his kidnappers were asleep.

She said her father was turned over by the kidnappers to a negotiator who arranged the ransom payoff.

“I paid half the amount to the person who negotiated for my father’s release and the other half to the kidnappers,” she said.

Kritika declined to reveal the total amount of money she paid the negotiator and the kidnappers.

Text messages earlier circulated stated that the kidnappers for P10 million from Arora’s family.

“My dad did not escape from his abductors. He was set free,” Kritika said.

The Indian businessman was seized as he was opening the Eversun Plywood Factory in Barangay Sarmiento in Parang town on Nov. 13.