CID Inspector and Two Others Arrested for Rs 20 Lakh Robbery near Silk Board
Bengaluru police have arrested a Criminal Investigation Department (CID) inspector and two of his associates for allegedly robbing Rs 20 lakh from a Kerala businessman at a hotel near Silk Board.
The arrest of officer Mahesh Kanakagiri and his associates, Vasanth Kumar and Kupendra Reddy, followed a police investigation into the June 15 incident. Two other suspects, identified as Hussain and Sahil, remain at large.
The victim, 40-year-old Junish Babu AK, had traveled to Bengaluru from Kerala with a friend for business purposes. According to the police, the suspects had previously contacted Babu regarding trading opportunities, promising high returns, and instructed him to bring cash.
When Babu and his friend checked into the hotel near Silk Board, the suspects arrived in an official Mahindra Bolero SUV bearing CID insignia. While Kanakagiri allegedly remained inside the vehicle, his associates entered the victim's hotel room.
Using the inspector’s official identity card, the associates introduced themselves as officers. They accused Babu of engaging in illegal activities, including money-laundering and drug-peddling, and demanded he hand over his cash bag. When the businessman refused, the suspects assaulted him and his friend before fleeing with the bag containing Rs 20 lakh.
Babu filed a complaint with the Madiwala police on Thursday. Investigators reviewed the hotel's CCTV footage, which showed the CID vehicle at the scene. Police traced the SUV to Kanakagiri’s residence and seized it.
Following the vehicle's seizure, police arrested Kumar and Reddy, while Kanakagiri initially went missing. The inspector was subsequently detained and arrested on Friday night.
City Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh directed officers to prioritize the case. An investigation team led by Assistant Commissioner of Police (Madiwala) VK Vasudev has since recovered the majority of the stolen money. Investigators are currently interrogating Kanakagiri and verifying the background of the complainant.
