Man coughs up Rs 95,000, gold chain for smoking in car

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: It is high-time people woke up to the fact that there are miscreants who could relieve them of their money by taking advantage of a situation they may be in. Bengaluru police have been warning people time and again to be alert and avoid falling prey to such extortionists.

In a recent such incident, an unidentified person fleeced Rs 95,000 and a gold chain weighing 30 grams from a car driver by threatening to file a police complaint against him for smoking in a vehicle, police said on Sunday. As per police sources, the incident took place in the Ramamurthy Nagar Police Station limits in the city on February 22.

The victim, Dhananjay Nair, a credit assessment officer with a reputed firm was smoking while driving near Benniganahalli underpass on way to his workplace when he was stopped by a biker. The victim in his complaint stated that the person on the bike stopped his vehicle after a chase and threatened that he would get him arrested for smoking while driving.

The person also threatened him that he knows police officers and can get him arrested on the spot. He claimed to carry weapons with him and warned that he should follow his instructions, the victim alleged. The victim was later taken to an ATM and made to withdraw Rs 95,000 through his debit and credit cards. The person also took the victim's wallet and cell phone before disappearing.

Dhananjay, after being advised by his friends, lodged a police complaint. The police booked a case under Section 384 of the IPC. Police suspect the accused is a habitual offender, for scanning CCTV footage of the crime spot revealed that he had been careful to ensure that he is not caught on camera.