<p>The owner of a vernacular television channel and five of his reporting crew were arrested for blackmailing and extortion in Banashankari.</p>.<p>The crew of the channel named Praja Prathinidhi were blackmailing and extorting garment shops alleging that they were selling fake brands, the police said.</p>.<p>The arrested have been identified as Santhosh Simha (34) owner of the vernacular television news channel, and N Ashok Kumar (33), residents of Nagarbhavi, V K Mahadeva (31) resident of Hoskerehalli, Rakesh Gowda (23) and Naveen P (21) residents of Jalahalli and Anand S (34) a resident of Kengeri.</p>.<p>According to the police, the accused targeted an apparel shop named Stylo Garments in Banashankari and had interviewed the owners and had taken video footage of garments they were selling.</p>.<p>They later called up the owner and alleged that he was selling fake brands and that they would expose the store, tarnishing its reputation.</p>.<p>They then demanded a ransom for not telecasting the story, the shop owner told the police. Based on the shop owner’s complaint, the police arrested Santhosh Simha and his crew.</p>.<p>They also seized two cars including an MUV with the channel’s logo and names stuck on them.</p>.<p>The police also seized three computers, a video camera and other gadgets worth Rs 1.6 lakh. With their arrest, the police have detected four cases in Banashankari, Basavanagudi, Bagalgunte and Yelahanka New Town.</p>.<p>After the arrests, the police learnt that the prime accused Santhosh is the state president of an outfit called Karnataka State Human Rights and Journalists Committee. Santhosh had started a daily newspaper of the same name earlier and he later started Praja Prathinidhi television in his wife’s name, the police added. He took to extortion to expand his TV network.</p>
<p>The owner of a vernacular television channel and five of his reporting crew were arrested for blackmailing and extortion in Banashankari.</p>.<p>The crew of the channel named Praja Prathinidhi were blackmailing and extorting garment shops alleging that they were selling fake brands, the police said.</p>.<p>The arrested have been identified as Santhosh Simha (34) owner of the vernacular television news channel, and N Ashok Kumar (33), residents of Nagarbhavi, V K Mahadeva (31) resident of Hoskerehalli, Rakesh Gowda (23) and Naveen P (21) residents of Jalahalli and Anand S (34) a resident of Kengeri.</p>.<p>According to the police, the accused targeted an apparel shop named Stylo Garments in Banashankari and had interviewed the owners and had taken video footage of garments they were selling.</p>.<p>They later called up the owner and alleged that he was selling fake brands and that they would expose the store, tarnishing its reputation.</p>.<p>They then demanded a ransom for not telecasting the story, the shop owner told the police. Based on the shop owner’s complaint, the police arrested Santhosh Simha and his crew.</p>.<p>They also seized two cars including an MUV with the channel’s logo and names stuck on them.</p>.<p>The police also seized three computers, a video camera and other gadgets worth Rs 1.6 lakh. With their arrest, the police have detected four cases in Banashankari, Basavanagudi, Bagalgunte and Yelahanka New Town.</p>.<p>After the arrests, the police learnt that the prime accused Santhosh is the state president of an outfit called Karnataka State Human Rights and Journalists Committee. Santhosh had started a daily newspaper of the same name earlier and he later started Praja Prathinidhi television in his wife’s name, the police added. He took to extortion to expand his TV network.</p>