Probationary PSI, constable among four arrested for extorting Rs 1.7 cr from man

Bengaluru: Three people, including a probationary police officer and a constable, have been arrested for kidnapping a man from HSR Layout and extorting from him an estimated Rs 1.7 crore, including 1.7 lakh of USDT cryptocurrency. 

Siddarooda Bijjannanavar, probationary police sub-inspector (PSI) at Madiwala station; constable Allabhaksh Karjagi; and former home guard Raj Kishore were arrested by the Economic Offences Wing of the Central Crime Branch (CCB). 

According to officials, six people abducted VS Karthik, a director of a digital marketing company, in a car on July 25 from his home in HSR Layout. From the abductee, the suspects transferred cryptocurrency worth Rs 1.41 crore and Rs 20 lakh from the bank. A case was registered at the Kadugondanahalli police station. 

The Economic Offences Wing, which took over the case, arrested the suspects on November 15, sources said. A probe is on to identify and nab the others involved, the sources added.