BENGALURU: Notorious history-sheeter ‘Captain’ Raja was sent to police custody on Monday after he kidnapped a realtor and extorted him of Rs 6.5 crore using the name of reformed underworld don Muthappa Rai. Raja had surrendered before a court on Friday.
The City Crime Branch (CCB) police also took three of his associates into custody. Prime accused Gopal, who is a friend of the victim, hatched the kidnap plot. A police CCB officer said Raja and six others kidnapped Muniyappa P (60), a resident of Hulimavu on June 19. Later, they locked him up in a house in Mysuru and demanded Rs 10 crore for his release. When Raja tortured Muniyappa, he was asked to contact Gopal, who said he would arrange the money. So, Muniyappa sold three of his properties and paid the gang Rs 5 crore.
After a few days, Gopal told him to pay another Rs 5 crore and collected seven cheques from him, that totalled Rs 5 crore. Then, Muniyappa paid him Rs 1.5 crore in cash. However, when Gopal demanded another Rs 3.5 crore, he suspected foul play and filed a complaint with Hulimavu police on July 18. Police then arrested Gopal and he confessed to the crime.