Rowdy who abducted realtor in Muthappa Rai's name held

The Central Crime Branch (CCB) arrested a history-sheeter who surrendered before a court on Saturday after allegedly abducting a real estate businessman and extorting Rs 6.5 crore from him by using the name of reformed don Muthappa Rai.

Raja alias Captain Raja and six others had allegedly abducted Muniyappa P, 60, a resident of Hulimavu, on June 19 near his house. Later, he demanded Rs 10 crore for his release as he is said to be worth Rs 300 crore. The victim’s friend GT Gopal had paid the abductors for his release.

The abductors kept him in Mysuru and later released him near Rajarajeshwari Dental College on Mysore Road the next day. Gopal, who picked him up, told that he had paid Rs 5 core and gave seven cheques for another Rs 5 crore.

Muniyappa sold his three properties to pay Rs 5 crore to Gopal. After a few days, Gopal told him that he paid another Rs 5 crore and collected the seven cheques from them and demanded another Rs 5 crore. Muniyappa again paid Rs 1.5 crore to him.

But when Gopal again demanded Rs 3.5 crore he suspected foul play and filed a complaint with Hulimavu police on July 18.

Police then arrested Gopal. After a thorough investigation, he confessed to his crime.

“We have recovered Rs 1.9 crore from Gopal and another Rs 15 lakh from another accused,” a senior police officer in the CCB said.

“We have been tracking Raja for the past couple of months. He was absconding soon after Gopal’s arrest and fearing arrest he surrendered on Saturday. We filed an application before the court on Monday and took his custody till October 18.”

The CCB said four others had also been arrested in the case, with police trying to recover another Rs4.05 crore from the accused.