Police said at 1:00 am Saturday, armed men posing as officers kidnapped four call center employees in Koramangala, demanding Rs. 25 lakh; Rs. 18 lakh was transferred
BENGALURU
Eight people, including a serving police constable, were arrested by Koramangala police for kidnapping call center employees and extorting money from them. The accused posed as real policemen and misused public trust for their criminal act.
According to the police, the incident happened at around 1:00 am on Saturday at Global Connect Telecom Private Limited, a call center located in Koramangala. The accused entered the building and threatened the staff by claiming they were police officers and needed information. They then forcibly took away four employees named Pawan, Rajveer, Akash, and Anas.
After kidnapping them, the gang demanded Rs. 25 lakh from the company management. Under pressure, the company’s operational manager transferred Rs. 18 lakh online to different bank accounts linked to the accused.
The call center staff alerted the police at around 4:30 am. Acting quickly, Koramangala police formed four special teams to track the suspects. By 11:00 am the same day, the police traced the gang to a lodge in Hoskote. The kidnapped employees were safely rescued and brought back.
The arrested accused have been identified as Chalapati, Bharat, Pawan, Prasanna, Ateeq, Zabiullah, and two others. Among them, Chalapati is a head constable from Kolar district, which has shocked many people. Two cars used for the crime have also been seized by the police.
DCP of Bengaluru Southeast Division, Sara Fatima, said the accused might have taken advantage of recent police raids on call centers to make their fake drama look real. She said a detailed investigation is ongoing to find out if more people are involved.
Police officials warned citizens and companies to verify the identity of officers during such situations. They assured strict action against those who misuse the police uniform and damage public trust.