Patna, Jan. 4: A middle-aged man was arrested today in connection with the alleged abduction of 16-year-old Intermediate student Saurabh Kumar.

A resident of road number 21 under Gardanibagh police station, Saurabh went missing on November 20.

The police this evening raided Rampur Tola at Barh, some 65km east of the capital, and arrested one Sunil Kumar.

The Telegraph had reported in January 4 edition about the alleged inaction of the police in the boy disappearance case.

Though no police officer came on record, sources said the mobile phone used to call up Saurabh’s family for ransom on November 21 was found on Sunil.

Sources added the conspiracy to abduct Saurabh was hatched by Sunil and his brother Ashutosh. The latter is absconding.

“Sunil has been arrested and interrogations are on. The case will be coming to light now after the man divulges all details about the incident and circumstances leading to Saurabh’s disappearance. The boy is yet to be recovered,” a police officer said on the condition of anonymity.

After the boy disappeared on November 20, the family received a ransom call of Rs 25 lakh the next day.

The family members had claimed that the caller had said he had purchased the boy for Rs 15 lakh and would release him only after he was paid Rs 25 lakh.

The police had lodged a missing diary instead of an FIR.

The cops had visited the boy’s house for investigations a week after he was abducted following director-general of police Abhayanand’s intervention.

The local police station had been repeatedly saying the boy had fled with a girl. Sometimes, the cops had said that a family feud was responsible for Saurabh leaving home.