This story is from July 5, 2016

Deputy SP charged with abducting financier

It was a scene straight out of a thriller. A financier is abducted by six burly men, tortured in a tiny room before a ransom of Rs 10 lakh is raised and he is set free. But what makes the climax different is that one of the alleged kidnappers is a police officer himself.
Deputy SP charged with abducting financier
According to Thejas, he was kidnapped around 2am on June 28 when he was parking his car near his house. He was bundled into a Scorpio (KA 20 N 3657) by a gang led by a person identified as Abijith. (Representative image)
Benglauru: It was a scene straight out of a thriller. A financier is abducted by six burly men, tortured in a tiny room before a ransom of Rs 10 lakh is raised and he is set free. But what makes the climax different is that one of the alleged kidnappers is a police officer himself.
Chikkamagaluru Rural deputy superintendent of police (DySP) Kalappa Handibag has been charged with kidnap and a departmental inquiry has been ordered against him.
This follows a complaint from the victim, Thejas HM, 37, a financier and resident of Kempanahalli in the district. Basavanahalli police on Monday registered an FIR, a copy of which is with the TOI, and named Handibag as accused number 5.
According to Thejas, he was kidnapped around 2am on June 28 when he was parking his car near his house. He was bundled into a Scorpio (KA 20 N 3657) by a gang led by a person identified as Abijith. Brought to Bengaluru, he was kept captive in an old warehouse.
Friend fetched money
Thejas alleged that he was thrashed by the kidnappers and ordered to pay Rs 25 lakh. When he refused and sought to know why he should pay, the gangsters told him that he had duped a few people in his chit fund business and in cricket betting. Unable to bear the torture, Thejas negotiated and reduced the ransom to Rs 10 lakh. He was then allowed to call his friend Shivu in Chikkamagaluru; Thejas told Shivu to mobilize Rs 10 lakh.

When Shivu sought to know where the money was to be delivered, the kidnappers gave a mobile number (9480805120) and told him to coordinate with the person who'd answer the call. Accordingly, the cash was delivered to the person at the police quarters behind Mathias Tower on IG Road. Thejas was later freed in Bengaluru.
Subsequently, Thejas and his friends investigated the antecedents of the kidnappers using the car's registration number and the mobile number. It was found that the mobile number belonged to DySP Handibag and that he had received the payment. The victim's friend had recorded the mobile conversation with Handibag while making the payment.
Handibag and the other accused, including Abhijith, Naveen Shetty, Nataraja and Khandya Praveena, are absconding.
A senior police officer said the matter has been communicated to the government for appropriate action as it involves an official of the DySP rank.
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