BENGALURU: In a joint operation, sleuths of the Central Crime Branch (CCB) and East Division police arrested four Central GST officers, including a woman, on Tuesday for allegedly kidnapping four persons and extorting Rs 1.5 crore from one of them.
Byappanahalli police, who registered a case of kidnapping for ransom, wrongful restraint, wrongful confinement and extortion against the accused officers, transferred it to the CCB for investigation on the direction of Bengaluru City Police Commissioner B Dayananda.
Investigations revealed that the accused are from the Directorate General of GST Intelligence, Bengaluru Zonal Unit (Central GST). They have been identified as Abhishek, superintendent of Central Tax, South Commissionerate, Bengaluru Zone; Manoj Saini and Nagesh Babu, senior intelligence officers, GST Intelligence, Bengaluru Zone; and Sonali Sahay, intelligence officer, GST Intelligence, Bengaluru Zone.
The case pertains to Keshav Tak, 35, a businessman from GM Palya, who filed a complaint against the accused on Monday.
Keshav and his associates Mukesh Jain, Pawan Tak and Rakesh Manak Chandani were allegedly kidnapped by the accused and wrongfully confined from August 30 to September 1.
The accused allegedly conducted an unauthorised raid on Keshav’s house on August 30 and seized mobile phones and other items. Claiming that they are from ED and GST departments, the accused allegedly demanded money from him to close his case.
Businessman coughed up Rs 1.5 cr ransom to secure release
Keshav, in his complaint, stated that the accused forcibly took him and his associates to Indiranagar, where he was asked to make a WhatsApp call to his friend Roshan Jain and arrange for Rs 3 crore. When Roshan could not arrange the money, the accused allegedly assaulted Keshav and took him and his associates to his office in Jeevan Bima Nagar and locked them up in separate rooms.
Keshav alleged that he was taken to various places the next day. The accused again forced him to call his friend for money. Roshan, after managing to arrange Rs 1.5 crore, told Keshav to collect it. Around 2.30 am on September 1, Mukesh was sent to collect the money. After receiving the money from Mukesh, the accused freed Keshav and his associates. Before leaving, the accused took the signatures of Keshav and his associates on some documents and allegedly gave him a copy of mahazar.
Based on Keshav’s complaint, the police arrested the accused and seized 32 mobile phones, 50 cheque books and two laptops from them. Further investigations are on.