A man accused of taking two children from their home in Melbourne's east this week demanded a $1 million ransom, according to police documents.
The man, 36-year-old Jiangang Ji, faced the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Wednesday afternoon, sporting a black eye and appearing emotional during a filing hearing.
Mr Ji is facing charges including kidnapping, aggravated burglary, armed robbery, false imprisonment, assault and theft of a motor vehicle.
Police say the children's mother was assaulted at the family's Blackburn North house on Monday morning before Mr Ji allegedly stole her black Mercedes and took the children with him.
Mr Ji was arrested on Monday night, while two children were located by police at a Mitcham property less than 12 hours after a large-scale search began.
According to charge sheets, Mr Ji was carrying a knife at the time of the alleged attack and demanded $1 million to release the children.
Prosecutor Holly Baxter told the Melbourne Magistrates' Court on Wednesday there were three locations where investigators had seized items for analysis.
Ms Baxter said material on the devices needed to be translated from Mandarin.
Ms Baxter said a police hand-up brief would be prepared by November 3.
Mr Ji, who faced the court via video link, listened to the proceedings over the phone from a remand centre with the help of a translator.
After being brought into the virtual courtroom, Mr Ji shook his head repeatedly and lowered his surgical mask, revealing a large bruise over his right eye.
Mr Ji's lawyer, Sharon Healy, said it was her client's first time in custody and she asked that he be assessed by a psychiatric nurse.
No application for bail was made.
The case has been adjourned until December 17.
