Bengaluru Man Extorts Money from Over 20 Cops, Arrested

Bengaluru: A 35-year-old man identified as Syed Sarfaraz Ahmed was arrested by the Bengaluru police on Tuesday for allegedly extorting money from over 20 police officers.

He was extorting money from the cops by threatening to implicate them in human rights violation cases.

According to a The Indian Express report, this case unfolded on July 24 when Shivajinagar police detained a man named Irshad for causing a disturbance in a restaurant, charging him under the Arms Act. Following his arrest, a deputy superintendent from the Karnataka State Human Rights Commission (KSHRC) visited the station, investigating a complaint of illegal detention. After reviewing the documents, the officer confirmed that Irshad’s arrest was lawful.

Suspecting foul play, the police noted that the KSHRC officer had similarly visited other stations, including Hennur, RT Nagar, and Ramamurthy Nagar.

Investigation revealed that Ahmed was behind the incident, demanding Rs 50,000 to withdraw the complaint against Irshad, the report said.

To catch Ahmed, the police pretended to agree to his demand. Upon his approach for the payoff, the transaction was recorded, and Ahmed was arrested.

During interrogation, it was revealed that he had resorted to similar offences in other police stations in Bengaluru. the East,

Ahmed had built a network of lower-ranking police personnel, especially in the crime units, who provided him with information. He frequently visited police stations to check for detainees and used this information to file cases with the KSHRC. He then demanded money from the inspectors to withdraw the complaints. , the officer said.

Ahmed is booked under sections 308 (2) (extortion) and 132 (assaulting or using criminal force against a public servant in the execution of their duty) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).