Gang posed as cops to trick
Kochi: A sex and extortion racket that trapped a businessman in the district was busted by the police Wednesday night. The five-member gang had masqueraded as narcotics officials and a deputy inspector-general (DIG) of Karnataka police and blackmailed a Chottanikkara- based businessman. But he proved smarter and based on his complaint, the Hill Palace police arrested the gang in a secret operation at the Chottanikkara Hill Palace Museum.
They were identified as Narayan Das, 46, alias Satheesan, son of Narayana Menon of Narayaneeyam house, Pottayil Temple Road, Eroor; Sai Sankar, 23, alias Sai, son of Hari of Sreedurga house near Pisharikavu Temple, Eroor; Dibin, 21, son of Balan of Thoppu Parambil house at Thaikkudam, Vyttila; Sameer, 35, son of Suleiman of Pallathu house at Mannarkkad, Palakkad, and Mayuki, 22, daughter of Rajesh Kartha of Gulmohar house at Onnam Myle, Perumbavoor.
The team sent the woman member of the gang to establish a relationship with the businessman a month back. Thereafter, she took him to her flat in Bangalore on October 1.
Three of the gang, who posed as police and narcotics officials, visited the flat and conducted a raid. The team also recovered some wheat flour from the flat and convinced the businessman that it was cocaine.
Narayan Das, posing as DIG of Karnataka police, came to the scene and took the woman into ‘custody.’ The team alleged that the businessman was part of a drug racket and threatened to take him into custody.
The team later offered to let him off if he provides Rs 2 crore. He agreed to give the money and came back to Kerala the next day. On the advice of his friend, the businessman filed a complaint with the police on October 6.
As directed by the police, he called the team and asked them to come to the Hill Palace Museum to take Rs 5 lakh as the first instalment. Sai Sankar came to receive the money and the team of police headed by CI Baiju Poulose and others, including SI Sivakumar, additional SIs Madhusoodanan and Suresh and Civil Police Officers Josy, Deepu, Harikumar, Santhosh and Shamla took him into custody.
The police later arrested the other four members involved in the crime. “The team got the police uniform from people working in the cine industry and equipment like wireless from a private mobile service provider. The gang had amassed huge wealth and bought houses and flats in various places like Kalamassery and Bangalore. The details of their wealth and their operations will be known only after further investigation,” said Baiju Poulose.
A case has been registered against them under sections 465 and 471 of IPC for forgery, 419 of IPC for cheating by impersonation and 384 of IPC for extortion.
The arrested were presented before the court and remanded. The police also said that the gang had cheated over ten people in one year and extorted lakhs of rupees from them.
However, none had come forward to register complaints due to fear and shame.
( Source : deccan chronicle )
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