According to a complaint lodged by the victim's cousin, Babusingh Udaisingh Rajput, residing at the Lambe Hanuman Road, one Kunwarsingh Kannasingh -- also from the same loality -- forcibly pushed Khumansingh Premsingh Rajput into an autorickshaw on Tuesday evening and rode off. The accused then called up late at night and demanded a sum of Rs 1,50,000 to release the victim.

The victim, who had just taken over his fathers's cloth business, had come out of his shop, Rajguru Prints, at Abhishek market, on the Ring Road and was passing through Khadi Mohalla area near Bombay Market when the accused intercepted him in the presence of dozens of people.

While the accused is yet to contact the victim's family members after his initial demand for ransom, police investigations revealed that the accused and the victim were known to each other. PSI Marathe is investigating the case.