Representative image of a police van.
Credit: iStock Photo
Mangaluru: The Mangaluru city police have invoked the Karnataka Control of Organised Crime Act (KCOCA) provisions against three persons, including a rowdy-sheeter.
Police Commissioner Sudheer Kumar Reddy C H said those who have been booked under the KCOCA are rowdy-sheeter Prashanth, Ganesh and Ashwith.
The trio had been booked on charges of extortion by the Bajpe police. They had allegedly threatened the owner of a cracker shop to extort money on October 22.
The Police Commissioner said Prashanth alias Pachu has 14 cases registered against him, including one for murder and four for attempted murder, which are in various stages of investigation and trial. He has been acquitted in some cases.
Ganesh faces four cases, including two for attempted murder, which are also in different stages of investigation and trial. He was acquitted in three cases earlier.
Ashwith has one case against him, in which he was acquitted. However, since he was closely associated with Prashanth and Ganesh — both having multiple criminal cases — he has been considered part of their gang under the organised crime provisions.
Prashanth is also known to be an associate of Suhas Shetty, who was murdered in May this year.