The KG Halli police arrested a three-member gang for extorting money from a land surveyor on the pretext of selling him a truck.
Police have recovered Rs 8 lakh in cash from Vellore native Natarajan alias Rajesh Reddy alias Raja Reddy alias Ravi, 50; Chitradurga native Sadashiva Nayaka alias Prashanth alias Ravi, 42; and Kolar native Shivaraj alias Koli, 32, and are making efforts to nab others at large. The trio is involved in many criminal cases, including murder, kidnap, and extortion.
On February 18, Nelamangala resident H G Rangaswamy lost Rs 8 lakh to the gang.
Rangaswamy had informed his sister-in-law Saroja about his decision to buy a truck. She claimed to have seen an advertisement in a local television channel advertising the sale of used vehicles and flashed a mobile number to contact.
When Saroja called the number, a man introducing himself as Ravi claimed that he has a used vehicle dealer office in the Majestic area. Ravi assured he would get a truck for a cheaper price and asked her to keep the money ready.
Accordingly, on February 18, Ravi asked Saroja to meet him near the Hebbal flyover to purchase the truck. When Saroja went to meet him with Rangaswamy, Ravi asked them to come to KG Halli, where he asked the duo to enter an SUV. Four people claiming to be policemen intercepted the vehicle and robbed Rs 8 lakh.
Police said Ravi was arrested by the Amruthahalli police in 2021 in a similar extortion case. He and his associates are involved in many crimes.
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Published 12 March 2022, 18:31 IST