Mangaluru: In a notorious incident, a bank manager was blackmailed by seven persons where he was forced to pose with a girl in a locked room. All the seven persons have been arrested by the Mangaluru City Police.
The arrested have been identified as Srijit Konaje (20), Avinash Konaje (21), Sachin Pachhanady (21), Ranjit Shetty Kuttar (22), Yatish Poojary Kuttar (24), Nitin Deralakatte (21) and Trupti (21).
It is reprted that the police have recovered Rs. 2,500 in cash and the two cheque leaves from the culprits.
The bank manager stayed in an apartment in a residential complex in Mannagudde area in the city. According to him, Shilpa, who had vacated the complex a few weeks ago, called him on September 17 seeking his help to train her relative Trupti in a banking entrance examination. When he asked Shilpa to send Trupti to the bank, Shilpa said that she will send Trupti to his house during the lunch time.
According to a source, Trupti came to the bank manager’s house around 1 p.m. Ten minutes later; a group of six men marched into his house and locked the door. They forced him to pose with Shilpa and took photographs and also recorded a video.
The gang demanded money from the manager threating him that they would release the photographs and video if he did not fulfill their demand. They forced him to sign on two cheque leaves and snatched Rs. 2,500 in cash from him. They went away with the documents of manager’s motorcycle.
A few days later, the culprits called him once again and demanded more money. The manager refused to give them money and said that he would report them to the police, after which they did not dare to call him again. The bank manager then lodged a complaint with Barke police station in the city.
The police managed to arrest the six men and Trupti. Action is yet to be taken against Shilpa, who is in a private hospital following fracture in her leg.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Uday Nayak said that accused Srijit was involved in a case of chain snatching in Talapady, a mobile theft case in Ullal and a case of theft in Bunder. The other accused did not have any past record of involvement in any crime. The police have registered a case of dacoity against the accused, Mr. Nayak said.