Representative image of a man in jail.
Credit: iStock Photo
Bengaluru: The state government has granted sanction for arresting 26-year-old history-sheeter Manoj R alias Kencha under the Goonda Act, which mandates one-year imprisonment without bail.
The stringent measure came after Manoj allegedly made an extortion call to a woman from inside the Parappana Agrahara prison recently.
Police investigations show that Manoj, a resident of Hosaguddadahalli, tried to blackmail the woman with her daughters' morphed pictures.
According to the woman, Manoj himself called her from the prison and demanded money.
Taking serious note of her allegation, the CCB raided the prison, but did not find any mobile phone or other device on Manoj.
However, a subsequent police investigation showed that the phone call originated from a 500-metre radius of the prison. Police believe Manoj likely used voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) to make the call.
Police say Manoj has been actively involved in extortion, criminal intimidation, robbery, abduction, attempted murder and murder since 2016. He was first booked in a criminal case as a minor and has since been booked in at least 12 serious crimes.
Police officers investigating cases related to Manoj described him as a "brazen and incorrigible criminal" aided by a gang of trusted associates.
"He became so notorious that people started fearing him and were reluctant to even file complaints against him," a police officer told DH.
Manoj’s operations were so organised that he gave orders from inside the prison, which his associates followed, according to the police.
On June 13, Bengaluru City Police Commissioner B Dayananda issued an order to invoke the Goonda Act against Manoj, but the matter was referred to the competent authority for review.
A magisterial-level advisory committee subsequently submitted a report endorsing the invocation of the Goonda Act against Manoj.
On July 29, DH reported how the Bengaluru police were increasingly invoking the Karnataka Control of Organised Crime Act (KCOCA), which mandates five-year imprisonment without bail, to curb rowdyism.
However, public prosecutors believe the Goonda Act will prove effective in reining in rowdies like Manoj because it can be invoked easier than KCOCA.