External Affairs Sushma Swaraj, who is often lauded for her effort to help Indians in distress abroad, recently reached out to help a "kidnapped" Indian national in Serbia only to discover on Thursday that he had staged his own abduction and the video of the same was fake.
An Indian national reached out to Swaraj on March 22 to help in rescuing his brother who was allegedly abducted and tortured in Serbia. The netizen tweeted: "@SushmaSwaraj please help my brother his life in big trouble somebody kidnap in Serbia country and ask him send the money unless we kill him."
@SushmaSwaraj please help my brother his life in big trouble somebody kidnap in Serbia country and ask him send the money unless we kill him
— rajeev sharma (@rajivsharma103) March 21, 2017
There was a video along with the tweet that showed a shirtless man with his hands tied up. He was seen being beaten up with a baton in the video.
@IndiaInSerbiamybroVinay kidnap in Serbia.kidnaper ask money 5000 euro unless we kill him.This matter alsotweetSushma Sawraj frgn minister pic.twitter.com/ofqItFcvZX — rajeev sharma (@rajivsharma103) March 22, 2017
Swaraj then tweeted on March 23 saying that "Vinay Mahajan (the 'abducted' Indian) has been found and is in safe custody of Serbian authorities." She also confirmed the man had staged his own abduction and that the video was fake.
Rajiv - I have all the facts before me. Your brother was not abducted. /1 @rajivsharma103 @IndiaInSerbia
— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) March 23, 2017
He stage managed his own abduction and the video is fake. /2 @rajivsharma103 @IndiaInSerbia — Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) March 23, 2017
Swaraj added that Mahajan was under the custody of the Serbian police and he was released following the intervention of the Indian High Commission. The man will return to India on March 25, the external affairs minister further added.
However, @Indiainserbia intervened and your brother has been released by Serbian Police. He is returning on 25 March. /3 @rajivsharma103
— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) March 23, 2017
I appreciate @IndiaInSerbia for the prompt response. /4 — Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) March 23, 2017
Meanwhile, Twitterati lashed out at the man for staging his own abduction and troubling Swaraj.
@SushmaSwaraj @rajivsharma103 @IndiaInSerbia What a shame !! Now even genuine victims will have a tough time convincing. Hmmm..shame
— Natarajan Iyer (@iyer77nvg) March 23, 2017
@iyer77nvg shame on you. Disgusting person. Shame on you — rajeev sharma (@rajivsharma103) March 23, 2017
Such a pity when people like #VinayMahajan try to fool their family & end up fooling the nation. Sad. pic.twitter.com/rAQOkfafbw
— Danish Manzoor (@ReachDanish) March 24, 2017
@SushmaSwaraj @rajivsharma103 @IndiaInSerbia He wasted national time and resources. Legal action should be taken against him. — Farhan Qureshy (@FarhanQureshy) March 24, 2017
@SushmaSwaraj @rajivsharma103 @IndiaInSerbia Oh My God! Ridiculous. How could he stoop so low for cheap thrills.Stop misusing the Govt.
— Shweta Singh Sinha (@sweetyssingh) March 23, 2017
The netizen, who had first reached out to Swaraj for help, also apologised to the Union minister saying it "seems that we have also been cheated by our brother."
@SushmaSwaraj @IndiaInSerbia feeling extremely sorry. I respect my laws and govt ministry. But after receiving threating vedio I m veryupset — rajeev sharma (@rajivsharma103) March 24, 2017
@SushmaSwaraj @IndiaInSerbia subsequently threating audios were also received every day seems that we have also being cheated by our brother
— rajeev sharma (@rajivsharma103) March 24, 2017
