Delhi-based singer Seema Jaiswal. Picture by Ranjeet Kumar Dey

Patna, March 9: Acting swiftly, police today nabbed three persons for allegedly disappearing with jewellery and money of a Delhi-based singer promising her a job in a satellite channel in Kathmandu in Nepal.

Seema Jaiswal, the singer, came down to Patna on March 5 after the trio, identified as Akash Singh, Ashutosh Kumar and P.K. Tiwari, promised her the job. Jaiswal had given them Rs 21,000 and jewellery worth Rs 1 lakh to make a music album. But they gave her the slip at Patna Junction today.

The trio were arrested hours after Seema lodged a complaint.

Patna senior superintendent of police (SSP) Alok Kumar said Akash had asked Seema to come down to Patna, assuring her of a job as an anchor in Kathmandu-based Tarai Channel.

“Once in Patna, Singh introduced her to Ashutosh, who runs a photography shop on New Dakbungalow Road. The three then went to Vijayshree Deluxe Hotel on Exhibition Road, where Seema took a room. The next day Akash asked her for a hefty sum to make the music album. Seema gave him her gold chain, ear rings and a ring,” said Alok.

But as soon as Akash left the room, she felt suspicious and asked him to return her jewellery.

“After a brief discussion, he returned her gold chain but said he would return the rest later. He then convinced her to go to Kathmandu with him to meet the director of the news channel. Seema then gave him Rs 21,000 to book a Scorpio to go to Kathmandu. They started immediately and reached the Nepal capital on March 7.

In Kathmandu, while Seema waited at Hotel Ashoka, the two men went out.

They returned in the evening and told her that they would have to go to Veer Ganj to meet the director of the channel.

The three of them reached Veer Ganj that night and put up at Veer Ganj Hotel.

The next day, the two men left the hotel telling Seema that they were going to meet the channel director.

When they returned, they took Rs 5,000 from Seema, apparently to repair a snag in the car.

Later in the evening, the men returned and told Seema that the director was unavailable and they would have to return to Patna.

They reached Patna today at 1.30am. Ashutosh got off the car after they entered Patna. Akash and Seema reached Patna Junction.

Akash told Seema at the railway station that they would go to Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh, where she would perform at a cultural function for which she would be given Rs 25,000.

He asked Seema to wait till he got the tickets. Then, he disappeared.

“When Akash did not return for a long time, Seema got out and went to the police help desk outside the station premises and lodged a complaint,” the SSP said.

The police took her to Gandhi Maidan police station where the FIR was lodged.

“Based on the information provided by Seema, we first arrested Ashutosh and then tracked down Akash. Tiwari — who was the mastermind behind the plan — was also nabbed. He works for a private news channel in the state capital,” the SSP said.

The arrested trio were being interrogated till late evening.