The two youths have been identified as Pradeep Pival (18) and Rohit Chauhan (21). According to the police, Pradeep, an HSC pass, was working at a call centre at Andheri and Chauhan worked as a delivery boy for a pizza chain’s outlet.

“Pradeep and Rohit have been friends for the past one year. Rohit works for a pizza outlet located in the same building as Pradeep’s office. They were told by someone that if they joined friendship clubs, they would get to enjoy the company of women and get paid at the same time. They decided to go to Goa, settle down there and lead comfortable lives by joining these clubs,” said Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Rakesh Maria.

According to the police, the duo left for Goa on March 10 and the following day Pradeep informed his parents that he had gone there for some official work.

“On March 11, Pradeep informed them that he needed Rs 2,000 urgently, after which his father Dalvir Pival, who works as a sweeper, deposited the money in his son’s bank account. On March 18, Pradeep again called home and said that he had landed in trouble and needed more money. Again, Rs 15,000 was deposited in his account by his parents.

On March 21, Rohit called Pradeep’s parents and said that their son had been kidnapped and if they did not send the ransom, the consequences would be dire. Pradeep’s parents deposited Rs 20,000 after this call. On March 26, 27 and 28 as well, they deposited more money into the account,” said Maria.

Finally, on March 28, Pradeep’s father lodged a complaint of kidnapping, wrongful confinement and extortion at MIDC police station. Crime Branch Unit 10 conducted parallel investigations and a team was sent to Goa.

“A trap was laid at an ATM in Goa and the two youths were arrested. They admitted to having staged the kidnapping. Pradeep got a total of Rs 58,000 from his parents in this manner,” Maria said.

“Rohit had meanwhile phoned his mother in Rajasthan and told her that he had met with an accident, following which she sent him Rs 85,000. His father had passed away some time back, and he knew that his mother had received an insurance sum of Rs 25 lakh after his death. The two youths claimed that they needed about Rs 15,000 to join friendship clubs. The remaining money they spent during their stay in Goa, which included visits to pubs and discos,” Maria said.

According to the police, the two youths had joined a friendship club in Goa, which is now under the police scanner.