Jhansi: In a bizarre turn of events, Dharmendra Kumar Balmiki, the Vidhan Sabha President of the Azad Samaj Party in Jhansi, orchestrated his own fake kidnapping to extort ₹5 lakh from his father. The plot, however, unraveled swiftly as the police traced him to Banda and revealed the entire conspiracy.
According to SP Rural Gopinath Soni, Dharmendra, a resident of Mohalla Badapura, had devised the plan to secure funds for paying off a house he purchased two years ago. The 36-year-old leader had an agreement with Mangal Kushwaha for a house in Shivaji Nagar, Jhansi. With the agreement set to expire in March 2025 and a pending payment of ₹6 lakh, Dharmendra desperately needed ₹5 lakh to meet the terms.
On Thursday morning, around 5:30 a.m., Dharmendra left his home for his usual morning walk. However, he did not return, causing his family to worry. Shortly after, his father, Satish Kumar, received a WhatsApp message from Dharmendra’s phone claiming that he had been kidnapped. The message demanded ₹5 lakh and warned against contacting the police.
Panic-stricken, the family tried calling Dharmendra’s phone, only to find it switched off. Distraught and fearing for his safety, the family informed the police via Dial 112.
The local police launched a high-priority investigation, forming three teams to trace Dharmendra’s whereabouts. The case created a stir in the district as concerns over the leader’s safety mounted. After an intensive search, the police successfully tracked him down in Banda later that night.
Upon interrogation, Dharmendra confessed to fabricating the kidnapping story. He admitted that he had hidden in Banda to pressure his father into arranging the money needed for the house payment.
Dharmendra expressed his desire to shift to Shivaji Nagar with his wife and children, which motivated him to finalize the house purchase. However, his inability to arrange the required amount led him to hatch the elaborate conspiracy.
SP Rural Gopinath Soni confirmed the details of the confession, stating, “He created a false story of abduction solely to extort money from his father. Interrogation is ongoing to determine any further details.”
The incident has left the local community shocked and baffled. Many expressed disappointments over the leader’s actions, given his political position.
