Men claim Rs 5.5 lakh stolen from bike safes, but police sceptical

In separate incidents, two men have reported to the police that a total of Rs 5.5 lakh in cash was stolen from the utility boxes of their two-wheelers on Monday afternoon. But the police are doubtful about the veracity of the complaints.

Mujeeb, a resident of RT Nagar who deals in used cars, told the police he had gone to Basaveshwaranagar to buy a pre-owned car at a showroom. He had kept Rs 3.5 lakh in cash in the utility box. He reached the showroom located on the West of Chord Road around 12.15 pm and pulled up on a service road. He then went to a tea stall nearby.

After having tea, he came to the bike only to have the “shock of my life”: the utility box was open and the cash missing. He then made a complaint at the Basaveshwaranagar police station.
Police suspect Mujeeb of faking the incident. A police officer said Mujeeb would be “thoroughly” questioned as the incident seemed “highly suspicious”.

In the other incident, Alok, a resident of Nagarabhavi, claimed that the Rs two lakh in cash kept in the utility box of his motorcycle was stolen when he had stopped by a roadside shop for getting a top-up for his mobile phone. Then he left the shop and rode to Nagarabhavi.
On the way, however, he stopped and checked the utility box: there was no sight of the cash. According to Alok, the cash was given to him by his neighbour, Gangamma.

Both of them had come to a Karnataka Bank branch in Kengeri around 10.15 am. Gangamma withdrew Rs two lakh and gave it to Alok, requesting him to deliver it at her house as she had to go to work.

Alok agreed and dropped her at Nagarabhavi Circle where she boarded a bus. According to Alok, he then went to Bhairaveshwaranagar where the incident occurred. He said he then called up Gangamma and narrated the incident. Police said they had registered a case but would question Alok to ascertain the veracity of his complaint.