Bhubaneswar, June 25: Police have busted a kidnappers’ gang that has been operating in the city for the past one year.

The gang was busted after arrest of the criminals, who had kidnapped Gokuldev Pal, 15, the son of an engineering college owner.

On June 23, the police arrested two in connection with Pal’s kidnapping and later came to know that the duo, identified as Jagannath Rout and Subhash Nayak, were involved also in the kidnapping of a businessman, Sudhanshu Kumar Dutta, last year.

Sudhanshu, 42, who was abducted on his way home at CRP Square from his office at IRC village on August 25. He is traceless till date. Sources said Dutta, who had business interests in mining sector, was into scrap business as well. Moreover, he used to produce films.

The police said that during interrogation, Rout and Nayak had admitted that they were involved in Sudhanshu’s abduction. While Rout was employed as Sudhanshu’s bodyguard, Nayak was his driver. When he was kidnapped Rout was with him.

“We forwarded them to court after they confessed to their involvement in Sudhanshu’s abduction. They admitted that they had handed over the businessman to another gang and we are trying to bust it. Once we arrest them, we will get to know Sudhanshu’s whereabouts,” said Anup Kanungo, inspector in charge of Nayapalli police station.

Sudhanshu’s brother Himanshu Dutta, who is a college lecturer in Malkangiri, said the police had sought seven-day time to access to Sudhanshu’s whereabouts. “They are conducting raids to get to my brother,” said Himanshu.

Sudhanshu’s wife Swapna Sarita Dutta lodged a missing complaint with Nayapalli police on August 29 last year, four days after the abduction.

Later, Himanshu lodged a case with Nayapalli police on September 11 last year, alleging four employees of his brother and Swapna to be involved in the abduction. At first, the police, however, refused to register the case. After Himanshu approached the police higher authorities and later the state human rights commission, the cops registered a case of kidnapping.

Later, Panikoili police found Sudhanshu’s car near a dhaba by in Jajpur. They handed it over to Nayapalli police. The city police also seized Rs 13 lakh from Sudhanshu’s supervisor Silu, who is an accused in the case, and Rs 38,000 from Nabina.

The police said they had detained two others involved in the kidnapping of the DAV School student and they were also found to be involved Sudhanshu’s abduction.

“We are interrogating them to know more about Sudhanshu and other criminals involved in the case,” said a police officer.

The police are searching for Raja, whose vehicle was used to kidnap the boy, Pintu who was Sudhanshu’s driver and Silu.

“We are trying hard to track Sudhanshu. Then we will also arrest his wife as she has been named in the complaint lodged by his brother,” said Kanungo.

Sources said the criminals were part of a bigger gang of kidnappers acting in the city and adjoining districts. This gang also had kidnapped the establishment officer of a private university in the city in January last year.