LUCKNOW, Oct. 20 -- Lucknow police have arrested two more alleged members of an interstate gang accused of posing as police officers to abduct an antique trader near his office using forged identity cards on September 12. The gang allegedly extorted Rs.13 lakh in cash and gold and silver jewellery from the victim for his release. The two accused, who had returned to Lucknow and were reportedly scouting for their next target, were arrested nearly five weeks after the abduction. "The accused, Pankaj Bhushan Kumar, 47, and Navneet Singh, 32, were arrested on Monday by a joint team of Krishna Nagar police and the southern zone surveillance cell. Both carried a reward of Rs.25,000 each. Police recovered Rs.1.345 lakh in cash from them," said DCP (South) Md Mushtaq. According to police, the case dates back to September 12, when Sudarshan Ghosh, an antique trader residing in Alambagh, was allegedly abducted near his office. An FIR was registered at Krishna Nagar police station the following day. During questioning, Pankaj allegedly told police that the gang identified people believed to be wealthy, tracked their movements and planned abductions to extort ransom. Navneet, who had previously dealt in antiques, allegedly provided information about Ghosh's business and financial standing, police said. The gang allegedly used that information to conduct reconnaissance in Lucknow before executing the abduction. Posing as police officers and displaying forged identification cards, the accused allegedly took Ghosh away in a car under the pretext of questioning him. Police said the victim was threatened and forced to call his wife to arrange ransom for his release. The gang allegedly collected Rs.13 lakh in cash and gold and silver jewellery through the victim's driver before abandoning him near Shaheed Path. Investigators said the accused used vehicles fitted with forged number plates and fled to different states after the crime. The ransom money was allegedly divided among the gang members, with some of it spent on personal expenses. The latest arrests follow the arrest of six accused in the case on September 20. The two wanted men allegedly went into hiding after learning of their associates' arrests but later returned to Lucknow and were scouting for another target when police apprehended them. The case has been registered under various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including those relating to kidnapping, extortion and forgery. The accused were produced before a court after arrest. htc...