These two abduction cases made the Russian politicians to suppose that the well-organized criminal gang operates in Russia, which specializes on abduction of the oil companies’ bosses or their relatives for receiving the ransom.
Sadi Sharifov’s abduction comes only months after the kidnapping of a LUKOil vice-president, Sergei Kukura, who was held captive for 13 days.
Top Georgian law enforcer officials claim Sadi Sharifov, father of the Vice President of the LUKOil Vagit Sharifov, which is abducted for the second time in Georgia, will be released soon.
“The investigation is ongoing and we hope that Sadi Sharifov will be released very soon,” Georgian Interior Minister Koba Narchemashvili told the reporters on December 4. “We have already outlined a certain number of suspects and we are actively looking for them,” he added.
Sadi Sharifov, 79, was kidnapped late on December 1 from his house in Pantiani village, southern Georgia.
Georgian law enforcers report that the armed gang of criminals attacked the house were Sharifovs live, kidnapped Sadi Sharifov and hijacked a car. Later the law enforcers found the car near the village of Kumisi, which is 60 kilometers away from the Georgian capital Tbilisi.
Koba Narchemashvili said that the criminals initially did not intend to abduct Sharifov. “The reason of attack on Sharifovs was armed robbery. Decision on abduction was taken later,” Georgian Interior Minister said.
So far, the kidnappers have contacted neither the law enforcers, nor the relatives of Sadi Sharifov and have not put forward any ransom demands. However, Georgian law enforcers suppose that ransom might be the main reason of abduction of Sadi Sharifov.
Georgian General Prosecutor’s Office reports that Sadi Sharifov has already been abducted 10 years ago and was released after 12-day of detention. Official reports say that no ransom was paid.
Nugzar Gabrichidze, Georgian chief prosecutor told the reporters today that the kidnappers have already served the sentence and are released.
No details of abduction of mother of Jumber Tkebuchava, Vice President of the Russian-Belarus oil company Slavneft are known. The kidnapping took place in Georgia’s breakaway province of Abkhazia, thus Georgian law enforcers are unable to investigate the case.
Russian media sources reported on December 4 that the kidnapping occurred a week ago. According to the Abkhaz law enforcers so far, the kidnappers have not put forward any demands.