Dubai-based businessman abducted in Shanghai

Deepak Raheja, 40, has been stranded in China since his boss fled the country on December 14 last year. The Yemeni businessman, the owner of Euro Global Trading, owed local traders $1.5 million when he absconded.

DUBAI // The wife of a trader abducted and tortured by Chinese businessmen has asked the Indian government to help to bring him home.

Deepak Raheja, 40, has been stranded in Shanghai since December 14 last year when his boss, the Yemeni owner of Euro Global Trading, fled China owing $1.5 million to traders in Yiwu in Zhejiang province.

The creditors kidnapped Mr Raheja and his colleague and held them to ransom for the money they were owed.

Mr Raheja's wife, Natalia, said the Chinese businessmen kept her husband in the cold without clothes. "He was not given food or water and faced daily beatings. He went through hell for two weeks. His fingers and leg became numb because of the cold."

The two men were released after Indian diplomats intervened, but they are still in the China awaiting trial on charges related to the debt.

Mrs Raheja, who is Russian, has been in Dubai for 15 years, and her husband for 20 years before he went to China last year. They live in Bur Dubai with their daughters, aged 18 and 3, and son, 8.

She said her husband was unwell and should be repatriated as quickly as possible. "He has high blood pressure and diabetes. I have asked the Indian government to help him in his repatriation. He doesn't even have money to buy medicines."

Mrs Raheja has been in New Delhi since January 18, and has sought a meeting with India's foreign minister, SM Krishna, to ask for help.

"I am also planning to meet Sonia Gandhi so that this matter is resolved fast and my husband is reunited with the family. I am confident of a positive outcome."

The children are still in Dubai and are longing to see their father. "They miss him so much. We are all waiting for him to return to Dubai and join us. I am praying to God this ordeal ends soon. It has been difficult for us to cope with the crisis.

"We are in great financial difficulty because of the rent and school and college fees.

"At least my husband is safe now, though we are not sure when this matter is going to end and for how long he will have to stay in China. He is staying in a hotel in Shanghai."

The kidnapping and trial have triggered a diplomatic row between China and India. At a hearing of the case against Euro Global Trading on December 31, the India diplomat S Balachandran fainted in the courtroom because of the length of the proceedings.

India also lodged a formal complaint with the Chinese government that the diplomat had been ill-treated by the Chinese traders.

On a visit to China this week, the Indian foreign minister met the two men on trial and assured them that diplomats would continue to provide them all possible help.

At a press conference in Beijing on Wednesday, he said: "This morning they met me and expressed a desire to clear their names and return to India as early as possible. I empathised with them regarding their traumatic experience and have raised the matter with my Chinese counterpart."

The two men have also decided to file a criminal case against 15 local suppliers for illegally detaining them.