Yogesh K Porwar
The Devanahalli police arrested nine members gang that allegedly posed as officials of a“Human Rights Protection and Anti-Corruption Squad”to rob a 50-year-old man of Rs.24 lakh in cash near Devanahalli earlier this month.
The accused have been identified as C.Krishnakumar Reddy@Krishna Reddy,50,Private bank employee from Yelahanka Old Town,S.Ahmed Shariff,48,a Real estate agent from Sulibele,Venugopal,49,Petty shop owner from Bagepalli,Chikkaballapura District,a habitual offender having three criminal cases pending against him, Sampagirama,47,a Real estate agent and cooking work from,Amruthahalli,Narayana Swamy,52,Municipality worker from,Shidlaghatta Town,Chikkaballapura District, Shivakumar K.V,42,Mixer repair/driver from Ganjigunte, Chintamani Taluk, Chikkaballapura District,T V. Murugeshan, 65,Mason from Madanapalli,Andhra Pradesh,Malayam Latif,53,a Real estate businessman from Anantapur District,Andhra Pradesh and Venkatesh, 57,a cab Driver from Avalahalli,Bengaluru City.
According to police,the incident occurred on February 13 around 10 am within the limits of the Devanahalli Police Station.
The complainant,K.Shankarappa (50),a resident of Virgonagar,had reportedly arranged Rs.24 lakh after being promised Rs.90 lakh in return as part of a financial deal.
As per the complaint,the accused arrived in a car bearing a board reading“Human Rights Protection and Anti-Corruption Squad”and questioned the source of the cash.Threatening him,they allegedly seized the Rs.24 lakh and fled the spot.
Based on CCTV footage,technical evidence and call data records,police launched an investigation and arrested the accused in phases between February 13 and 17.
The prime accused has been identified as C. Krishnakumar Reddy alias Krishna Reddy (50),along with several associates from Bengaluru and neighbouring districts.
Police said they have recovered Rs.14.6 lakh in cash, two cars worth approximately Rs.8 lakh,and 13 mobile phones valued at around Rs.1.4 lakh from the accused.
The vehicles used in the crime included a car bearing registration number KA-40 N-2859 with the fake squad board displayed on it.
The arrested accused were produced before a jurisdictional court, which remanded them to judicial custody. Efforts are underway to trace the remaining absconding suspects.
The operation was carried out under the supervision of Senior officers of the North-East Division.Further investigation is in progress.
