Wife, son held for keeping ex-cop under 'house arrest'

The Girinagar police on Friday arrested the wife and son of Venkatesh, a retired Assistant Sub Inspector, for keeping him under ‘house arrest’ from August 9.

Venkatesh, 61, who served in the Police department for 35 years, retired as an ASI from KG Nagar police station. He was kept under ‘house arrest’ by his wife Nagarathna, sons Chetan and Ranjan.

The police arrested Nagarathna and Chetan on Friday, while Ranjan is absconding.

The police said that Venkatesh was locked up in a room on August 9, with his hands and legs tied. He had received around Rs 20 lakh at the time of retirement and kept the money in a fixed deposit account in a bank in his wife’s name.

But recently, the wife and children started pestering him to give them the money so that they can buy a flat, but Venkatesh refused to do so, police said. The wife and children confined him to a room and did not let him contact any of his friends or relatives. He somehow managed to get hold of a mobile phone and tried calling one of his brothers. But, the phone was not reachable, police said.

Not allowed to meet

Around a week ago, Gangadasappa, brother of Venkatesh, came visiting, but he was not allowed to meet Venkatesh by his wife and sons. Gangadasappa approached the police, who asked him to get a search warrant from the 24th ACMM court.

After receiving the search warrant, the police went to Venkatesh’s house on Friday. He lodged a complaint with the police, after which Nagarathna and Chetan were arrested and remanded in judicial custody, said a senior police official.

“In his complaint, Venkatesh said that this is the second time they have confined him to a room with his hands and legs chained. The first time, he escaped and took refuge in the house of one of his brothers in Kanakapura. He had struggled hard so that his sons could study well and become software engineers. They did not give him proper food and also did not let him take bath. As soon as the police rescued him, he was sent for a medial check-up as his health had deteriorated. The police are looking for Ranjan,” the official said.