CCB raids rowdies' houses, seizes land records

The Central Crime Branch (CCB) sleuths on Thursday raided houses of about 50 notorious rowdy-sheeters and detained 23 of those who had search warrants pending against them in the city.

They have seized incriminating land records, like sale deeds and 120 other property documents.

Demonetised currency notes of Rs 500 denomination worth Rs 2.2 lakh, lethal weapons and three four-wheelers, including an SUV, belonging to the rowdies, were also seized.

Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime) Alok Kumar formed 11 special teams comprising 100 police personnel, who started collecting information on the rowdy elements a couple of days ago.

On Thursday, the raids were conducted simultaneously at all the rowdies’ houses at one go, with police teams keeping a watch on the movements of each of their house. Raids started at 5 am and concluded at around 11 am.

As many as 23 of them, on whom search warrants were pending, were detained.

Police have also seized 15 cheques, 14 mobiles, 300 gm gold ornaments, two note counting machines, seven daggers and machetes from their houses.

“From the house of Dadiya Mahesh, the police recovered six cobra pepper spray cans, which he used to subdue his victims, along with a fake pistol,” said a senior police officer.

Another rowdy Doodh Ravi, who owned a Fortuner SUV, when questioned about the source of his income, said he had sold 20 of his cows to buy the SUV, the officer added.

“We are informing about the seizure (demonetised currencies, properties including their vehicles) to the RBI, Enforcement Directorate and Income Tax Department to probe into their source of income,” said T Suneel Kumar, Commissioner of Police, who lauded the officials and announced a reward of Rs 2 lakh.

“According to the articles recovered from each rowdy’s house, appropriate cases will be registered against them and legal action pursued,” said Alok Kumar, Adl CP (Crime).

Kommaghatta Manja questioned

Kommaghatta Manja, who in March 2017 was shot at on his leg twice for pelting stones at a police party who went to arrest him, was also one among the detained rowdies.

On Thursday, Alok Kumar, Additional Commissioner (Crime) briefly questioned him. And when he checked Manja's pockets, he found a lemon. He asked: “Are you into believing some kind of black magic that would save you from us? ”

When asked about the source of his income for building a house in Kommaghatta, Manja said everything was legitimate.

Kumar then on his cellphone instructed his subordinates to retrieve all the messages, sent, received and also deleted.