Gym owner turns to red sanders smuggling after heavy losses in business

A gym owner started smuggling red sanders after suffering heavy losses in business. Police arrested him with 101 kg of red sanders worth Rs 12 lakh in HRBR Layout, East Bengaluru.

Hennur police arrested Kutakallegowda, 27, a native of Channapatna taluk, on December 12 after receiving a tip-off that a man driving a Toyota Etios GD was trying to sell endangered wood to the general public in HRBR Layout 1st Block.

A police team led by Hennur inspector L Santosh Kumar rushed to the spot around 4.30 pm and detained the man. A search revealed 11 red sanders logs in the car.

Kutakallegowda initially told police that he cut the red sanders trees in the Ramanagara forests and wanted to sell them in Bengaluru. He later confessed that he had received the precious wood from a man in his home village a few months ago and was asked to sell it. The man promised to share the money with him.

When police visited the suspect’s village, Mathikere, they were shocked to find that the person who had supposedly supplied the red sanders to Kutakallegowda had passed away recently.

Kutakallegowda then revealed the truth. He cut a few red sanders trees in the forest and received pieces from the deceased.

Kutakallegowda told police that he had invested Rs 35 lakh in a gym that he ran in Channapatna. But the pandemic ruined his business and he could not repay the loans. That’s why he decided to smuggle red sanders and make a quick buck.

He has been booked for theft and under the Karnataka Forest Act.