Posing as a contract killer, a man on a motorcycle intercepted the car of a 53-year-old businessman and robbed him of valuables worth ₹5.6 lakh as a fee to spare his life, in Ashok Nagar on Wednesday evening.
The complainant, Shridhar S. Hegde, is a resident of Chikkalasandra. According to his complaint, he was returning home in his car around 7.30 p.m. when he was intercepted by the man on Richmond Road flyover and accused of having run over his leg.
When Hegde stopped the car on Double Road, the man claimed to be a criminal involved in four murder cases. He claimed that he had been given a contract to kill Hegde.
ADVERTISEMENT
The accused then offered to spare him. He took ₹3,500 from his wallet and then forced Hegde to drive to the nearest ATM and withdraw ₹80,000. He then claimed that he had been given a contract to kill Hegde’s son as well and demanded more money to spare him.
He took Hegde to a jewellery shop on Commercial Street and purchased gold valuables worth ₹4.7 lakh using the victim’s debit card.
The man took the victim’s gold chain and ring worth ₹70,000, and called him to Lalbagh Main Gate the next day with ₹5 lakh to take back the valuables. Before leaving, he took the contact details of Hegde.
ADVERTISEMENT
Hegde informed his family and, on Friday, filed a complaint with the Ashok Nagar police.
The police have taken up a case of of extortion and are trying to trace the accused through CCTV camera footage.