BENGALURU: A Rapido driver allegedly stole a 25-year-old passenger’s Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra during a ride and later demanded Rs 18,000 to return the phone, threatening to destroy it or send it outside Karnataka if the money was not paid.
The incident was reported on September 6, 2026, when the complainant booked a Rapido two-wheeler from Narayanappa Garden, 4th Cross, at 5.54 am to travel to Marathahalli. The complaint was filed on Thursday. The police have yet to arrest the accused.
The driver, identified as Ashutosh Kumar, allegedly arrived at the pickup point on a scooter bearing a different registration number than the one that was shown in the booking.
The complainant, Trideep Debnath, after obtaining the driver’s permission, placed his phone on the scooter for charging. The driver allegedly stopped near a petrol bunk in Madiwala and told the complainant that he wanted to check the air pressure of the tyre. When the complainant got off the scooter, the driver allegedly sped away with the phone.
The matter took a serious turn when the accused allegedly contacted the complainant’s sister through WhatsApp. He demanded Rs 18,000 in exchange for returning the stolen phone. The accused also allegedly sent a UPI payment request from a mobile number. Debnath later contacted the accused over the phone and requested the return of the device. However, the accused allegedly refused to hand it back unless the money was paid.
The complainant subsequently approached the Madivala police. “The accused is yet to be arrested. The complainant resides at a PG accommodation in BTM Layout. A case of criminal intimidation and theft has been registered,” said an officer.