Five arrested for Rs 1.09 cr kidnap, robbery in Bengaluru

Bengaluru,

Five persons were arrested for allegedly kidnapping a man and his driver and robbing him of Rs 1.09 crore in cash, police said on Monday. The incident occurred on June 15 within the Madanayakanahalli Police Station limits, they said. With their arrests, police claimed to have recovered Rs 85.50 lakh in cash, a toy pistol, three mobile phones and two cars used in the commission of the crime.

One of the accused had earlier worked as the victim's driver and had informed his associates that the complainant would be transporting a large amount of cash intended for investment in a company, police said. Based on this tip-off, they planned and executed the robbery, they added. According to police, on the night of the incident, the complainant and his driver were travelling with Rs 74 lakh kept in the boot of their car near a temple in Kuduregere Colony.

At the time, seven unidentified persons arriving on a motorcycle and in a car intercepted their vehicle. Threatening them with knives and beer bottles, the accused forcibly kidnapped both the complainant and his driver in their own vehicle and took them to a secluded place near Nelamangala, a senior police officer said.

The accused took away the Rs 74 lakh from the car and threatened to kill the complainant unless he arranged another Rs 35 lakh from his house, he said. The complainant's family subsequently delivered the cash, after which the accused robbed a total of Rs 1.09 crore and abandoned the complainant and his driver in a deserted area near Nelamangala in the early hours of the morning, police said.

Following his complaint, a case was registered at Madanayakanahalli Police Station, and an investigation was launched, they said. During the investigation, police collected credible intelligence and, on June 20, apprehended one accused near Bagepalli in Chikkaballapur district, the officer said.

Police seized Rs 4 lakh in cash, one car and one mobile phone from him, he added. During interrogation, the accused confessed that he, along with nine associates, had conspired in advance to commit the offence and provided information about the other accused, police said. He disclosed that Rs 56 lakh - part of the robbed money - had been hidden at the residence of one of his relatives in Channasandra.

Based on this information, police recovered the cash from the relative's house on June 21, the officer said. Later on June 21, police apprehended the other accomplices from different parts of the city, he said. The accused confessed to their involvement, and police recovered Rs 1 lakh in cash and two mobile phones from them, he said.

On June 22, the four accused were produced before the court and remanded to four days of police custody. During interrogation, they disclosed that portions of the robbed money had been concealed in their houses at Hosahalli, Thotadaguddadahalli and Chikkabanavara. Acting on this information, police recovered Rs 24.50 lakh in cash, one car used in the offence and a toy pistol used during the crime, police added.

"Investigation revealed that all 10 accused were friends. As they did not have stable employment, and with three of them being habitual offenders and rowdy-sheeters, they conspired to make quick money," he said. On June 24, five of the accused were produced before the court and remanded to judicial custody. Efforts are continuing to trace the remaining five accused, and further investigation is in progress, police added.