Seven Arrested After Three Employees Held Captive for 21 Days in Central Jakarta

Three printing company employees in Senen, Central Jakarta, named Adit Saputra, M Rafly Jaelani, and Tegar Saputra, were held captive for 21 days. Seven people have been arrested, including the owner of the printing business.

The suspects are men with the initials MML (40), AI (41), S (48), AYL (29), and NHJ (42), along with two women, CML (37) and II (36). Central Jakarta Metro Police Chief Senior Commissioner Reynold EP Hutagalung stated that the perpetrators accused the victims of embezzling printing plates worth hundreds of millions of rupiah. The three victims were each asked for compensation of Rp 50 million.

“The perpetrators, who have now been named as suspects, extorted the three victims by means of confinement, even committing several acts of abuse, including shackling or binding their feet with equipment to prevent them from going anywhere or moving from the location,” Reynold said on Monday (29/6/2026).

The seven suspects are currently detained at the Central Jakarta Metro Police detention centre. They are charged under Article 482 of the Criminal Code, which carries a maximum penalty of 9 years’ imprisonment, and/or Article 446 with a 7-year maximum, and/or Article 471 with a 6-month maximum.

Senen Police Chief Commissioner Widodo Saputro previously stated that the confinement took place in a shophouse. When found, the three victims had their feet shackled and bound with steel cables.

“At the scene, victims Tegar Saputra and Muhamad Rafli Jaelani were seen with their feet shackled and tied with steel cables. Victim Adit Saputra was also shackled and bound with an iron chain,” Widodo said on Sunday (28/6).

According to Widodo, the three victims were confined after allegedly being caught stealing. The perpetrators also demanded a ransom of Rp 50 million from each victim’s family.

“They demanded money from the families, asking for Rp 50 million per person, with the agreement that after the money was given to the company, their children would be released,” he stated.

Police revealed the pretext used by the perpetrators for confining the three printing company employees. The main suspect, MML, who is the business owner, accused the victims of stealing printing plates worth Rp 230 million.

“According to the perpetrators’ alibi, these iron plates were worth approximately Rp 230 million, and the perpetrators, especially the owner, suspected that these three employees were the ones who took or caused the loss of the iron plates,” said Reynold.

Suspect MML then ordered the three to be confined. The victims were each asked for compensation of Rp 50 million.

“So they were confined to demand compensation, with each being asked for around Rp 50 million,” he explained.

Victim Adit had already paid Rp 50 million, while another victim, Rafly, had paid Rp 5 million. However, the perpetrators continued to hold the victims, citing that not everyone had paid the compensation.

“But until a complaint was lodged through the Central Jakarta Police call centre, he still hadn’t returned home, considering the others hadn’t yet paid, and one of the others had only paid Rp 5 million,” he explained.

Central Jakarta Metro Police Criminal Investigation Unit Head Adjunct Senior Commissioner Roby Heri Saputra detailed the roles of the suspects. Two suspects, AI and S, were responsible for carrying out the confinement and collecting compensation money from the victims’ families. Both were arrested at the scene.

Police then expanded the investigation and arrested suspect MML. MML is the owner of the printing business and the mastermind behind the confinement.

“We detained MML as the owner of Mau Print printing business, who had the idea to shackle, hold hostage, and chain the feet of the three victims,” he said.

Furthermore, police arrested AYL, who threatened to break the victims’ legs if they did not pay the compensation. Suspect NHJ was responsible for assembling the equipment used to shackle the victims.

Additionally, suspect CML, the younger sibling of MML, prohibited the office boy from giving food to the victims.

“Suspect II acted as the admin who received the transfer payments from the victims’ families,” he explained.

Police disclosed that during the 21-day confinement, the three employees were not given any food.

Greater Jakarta Metropolitan Police Criminal Investigation Director Senior Commissioner Iman Imannudin stated that the Central Jakarta Metro Police are continuing to provide assistance to the victims. The police are committed to overseeing the victims’ recovery.

“The victims were confined for approximately 21 days before being rescued by the Central Jakarta Police team, so they need health recovery assistance, both physical and psychological,” he said.

Central Jakarta Metro Police Criminal Investigation Unit Head Adjunct Senior Commissioner Roby Heri Saputra added that during the confinement, the victims were forbidden from being fed. The order was given by female suspect CML, the younger sibling of the printing business owner.

“CML’s role was as a caretaker or maintenance person, and she was also the one who forbade the office boy from approaching and giving food to the victims,” he said.