

BENGALURU: The Madiwala police have arrested three persons, including a Criminal Investigation Department (CID) police inspector, for allegedly assaulting and robbing a Kerala-based businessman of Rs 20 lakh in cash. The accused are Kupendra Reddy, Vasanth Kumar, and CID Police Inspector Mahesh Kanakagiri.
Police said, Junish Babu A K (40) from Kerala along with two friends arrived in Bengaluru on June 15 and was staying at White Stone Lodge in Madiwala. One of his friends, Naveen, had informed him about an investment opportunity in trading that promised high returns. Acting on the proposal, Junish had brought Rs 20 lakh in cash to Bengaluru.
The police said the accused, who were aware that the victim was carrying a large amount of cash, allegedly went to the hotel room on Thursday night posing as police officers. They threatened the victim, accusing him of being involved in an illegal money-trading business, and questioned him about carrying such a large amount of cash.
The accused allegedly assaulted the victims before fleeing with the cash. The police said the CID inspector allegedly sat outside the hotel in a police jeep in police uniform to intimidate the victims and create an impression of an official police operation.
A senior police officer added that the victim approached the Madiwala police station early on Friday and filed a complaint. A case was registered for dacoity, criminal intimidation, assault, and criminal conspiracy, and an investigation was launched. The trio was traced and arrested on Friday afternoon.