BENGALURU: Five members of a gang including a Central Crime Branch (CCB) police constable have been arrested for extorting Rs 25 lakh from a shopkeeper in Rajajinagar.
The arrested have been identified as B Shesha, a constable attached to the organised crime wing of CCB; Byresha (37), a resident of K P Agrahara and local secretary of Karnataka Rakshana Vedike
(Shivaramegowda wing); Vijay (27), a resident of Gopalapura and member of Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (Shivaramegowda wing); Manivannan (36), a resident of Bhuvaneshwari Nagar and Pavan, a resident
of K P Agrahara.
The incident took place on November 26 around 9 AM near Star Bazaar in Rajajinagar. According to the complainant Jai Shankar (42) who runs a shop named Shreyas Electrical Goods, he was lured by the
accused to exchange the new denomination currency with the old ones.
He was told that he would be given Rs 30 lakh in old denomination notes in exchange of Rs 25 lakh worth new denomination notes. He collected Rs 25.20 lakh from six of his friends and met the accused
near Star Bazaar with his friend Subramanya.
“The accused kidnapped the victim and his friend Subramanya from Star Bazaar and took them to Madanayakanahalli in two vehicles. They assaulted the victim and snatched Rs 21, 50,000 from him before they fled from the place. The accused threatened Jai Shankar that they would kill him if he informed the police about the incident. Jai Shankar initially did not report it to police out of fear. On Tuesday however, he filed a complaint. The police have arrested five persons in this case,” a police official said.
The official also said that B Shesha played a crucial role in extorting the money. “Shesha was at Star Bazaar with other accused and went with them towards Madanayakanahalli when the accused robbed
the money,” police said.
More than nine members are involved in the crime and the police are on the lookout for others.
Police have recovered Rs 4.50 lakh cash from the accused and investigations are underway. Magadi road police have registered a case under IPC section 363 (kidnapping) and 395 (dacoity).