BENGALURU: A head constable attached to the Chandra Layout police station has been arrested for allegedly stealing Rs 10 lakh from a farmer and real estate businessman, who had brought Rs 50 lakh in Rs 500 denomination to exchange it for Rs 2,000 currency notes.
The arrested is Mahendragowda. The police said Lingesh from Channapatna in Ramanagara district had filed a complaint against the policeman. “Lingesh’s friend Pradeep had told him that one of his acquaintances had crores of rupees in Rs 2,000 denomination and wanted to exchange it with Rs 500 currency as he feared that Rs 2,000 notes could be demonetised. Pradeep had also said the person is willing to pay 10 per cent commission. Lingesh had agreed to exchange Rs 50 lakh and had come to Bengaluru,” the police said.
Lingesh and Pradeep had first gone to Singasandra near Electronic City but they couldn’t exchange the money there. “Vetrivel, the person who was coordinating with them over the phone, asked them to come near the Jnanabharathi campus and again asked them to go to Chandra Layout, where the duo was joined by Vetrivel and his friend Shyamsantosh. While the four were standing at their car and discussing, Mahendragowda and another policeman who were on Hoysala patrolling duty questioned them. When they tried to escape, the police made them sit inside the car and called another Hoysala vehicle,” the police said.
As the four were bundled into two Hoysala vehicles and taken to the police station, Mahendragowda drove their car and brought it to the station. “He reported the matter and said he found Rs 40 lakh cash in the car and filed a complaint. The four failed to produce any documents related to the cash or defended why they were carrying so much cash. A non-cognisable case was filed and they were set free,” the police added.
The next day, Lingesh approached a senior police officer and filed a complaint that Rs 10 lakh was stolen by Mahendragowda. “An inquiry was conducted into the matter and it was found that Mahendragowda had stolen the cash and had sent it home before bringing the car to the station. Hence, he was booked for theft and was arrested,” an officer said.