The Central Crime Branch sleuths nabbed a gang of nine persons on Friday for trying to sell an antique Buddha idol.
According to sources, on a tip-off, a team of officials intercepted the gang who were looking for prospective clients on Binny Mill Road. Posing as prospective buyers, the CCB sleuths approached them and caught them red-handed after they showed the idol and a diamond.
The names of the arrested were given as Vinay Kumar (31), A. Daadapeer (33), Raghuprasad (26), Mohammed Daadapeer, (54), C. Prakash Shetty (40), Venkatesh Kumar (28), Abhishek (21), D. Prakash (55), and B. Narasimha (55).
Sources said that the arrested were habitual offenders, who were involved in similar offences. While Daadapeer was arrested by Rajarajeshwari Nagar police in 2013, Prakash Shetty was arrested by Kurnool police while trying to sell an antique idol, the police said.
The accused have been taken into custody and the CCB is trying to ascertain the source of the idol.
