A real estate agent claiming to be an IPS officer posted in the Central Crime Branch (CCB) has been arrested by the city police.
Mandya native Vishu Kumar alias Arjun is believed to have cheated many people out of lakhs of rupees. He has been arrested based on a complaint filed by Malleswaram resident S Raghavendra, one of his many victims, police sources said.
Police investigations revealed that Kumar relocated to Bengaluru several years ago and rented a house in Girinagar. In 2022, he befriended Raghavendra, a finance company owner, and boasted that he was an assistant commissioner of police (ACP) in the CCB. He often sent Raghavendra pictures of him wearing a police uniform.
Kumar asked Raghavendra to lend him Rs 25 lakh for his wedding and promised to repay the money with interest in three months. Raghavendra told the police that he had arranged Rs 20 lakh by borrowing from friends and gave it to Kumar. He handed him the remaining Rs 5 lakh near the CCB’s headquarters in Cottonpet. Raghavendra even attended Kumar’s wedding.
Kumar, however, failed to repay the loan on time. Raghavendra claims that when he demanded repayment, Kumar threatened to get him killed by murder suspects.
Raghavendra was initially too scared to do anything. However, he checked records and made inquiries to call Kumar’s bluff.
Police also discovered that Kumar had cheated others by acquiring another fictitious name, Bhuvan Kumar. He has been sent to the CCB’s custody for further interrogation, sources said.
Published 11 June 2023, 19:08 IST