Fake policemen who extorted lovers held by Thalaghattapura police
The two met at a central prison, where they were lodged after the police arrested them in other cases.
BENGALURU: Three notorious robbers, including a former home guard and a teacher, who allegedly dressed up as policemen and extorted people on the outskirts of the city, were arrested by the Thalaghattapura police. The accused were involved in 14 extortion cases.
The three arrested are Raghu, 34, a resident of Kanakapura in Ramanagar, Doddaiah, 48, of Thammanayakanahalli in Anekal, and Harish, 31, of Krishnagiri district in Tamil Nadu. Raghu was earlier a home guard and worked as a driver at the RTO office in Ramanagar district. Doddaiah was working at Muthoot Gold Finance and had quit his job, while Harish was working as a science teacher at a private high school in Krishnagiri.
Both Raghu and Doddaiah had criminal backgrounds. Raghu was involved in more than 15 robbery and extortion cases, while Doddaiah had two cases, including a Pocso case. The two met at a central prison, where they were lodged after the police arrested them in other cases. At the prison, they discussed how to make quick and easy money. The mastermind, Raghu, assumed that if they robbed people in the guise of policemen, the victims would not approach the police to file a complaint, and the duo hatched a conspiracy to execute the crime.
“Once they were released from the prison on bail, they set out on their plan. They also roped in Harish. First, they purchased a Bolero jeep and got a number plate from Tumakuru, which had letter 'G' to make their victims believe that it's a government vehicle. They also got a portable 'Police' board to use it only while committing crimes. Raghu got a police sub-inspector's uniform stitched in Channapatna, while Doddaiah got a safari stitched for him to look like a member of the anti-rowdy squad," the police said.
“They chose isolated places on the outskirts of the city and struck couples, lovers and others, claiming that they were policemen. In some cases, the accused had threatened lovers that their parents would be informed and extorted them. In some cases where the victims did not pay heed, the accused robbed valuables. They committed 14 such offences and cases were registered in 11 police stations, all on the outskirts of the city," the police said.
The police recovered 500 gm of gold jewellery worth Rs 15 lakh and cash of Rs 3.99 lakh form the arrested. They also seized the jeep used to commit the offence, an Innova SUV, police uniforms, a toy pistol and a double-barrel gun.