Five arrested for kidnapping, torturing student for extortion

The Soladevanahalli police have arrested five persons, including students and private firm employees, for allegedly kidnapping and torturing a 19-year-old student to extort money from him.

The accused have been identified as Dikshith Gonzales, Dikshith, Shashank, Swaroop and Narasimha. They have been booked under charges related to unlawful assembly, kidnapping for ransom, voluntarily causing hurt using dangerous weapons, criminal intimidation and other relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

According to the police, the case came to light after the victim’s mother, Anet Vinaya Sequera, filed a complaint at the police station on May 23.

In her complaint, she alleged that her son, Steev Aron Raj, was called by his friends — Dikshith Anthony Gonzales, Dikshith, Swaroop, Akash and Shashank— near a roadside dhaba on Hesaraghatta Road around 3.30 p.m. on May 22 on the pretext of discussing a vehicle-related issue.

After reaching the spot, the accused allegedly snatched the victim’s bike key and mobile phone and demanded ₹10,000 from him. Following pressure from the accused, the victim’s friends allegedly transferred ₹9,000 to the bank account of one of the accused, identified as Swaroop.

The police said the accused later forced the victim into a car and took him to a hotel room in Ganapathinagar around 5.15 p.m.

At the lodge, the accused allegedly consumed alcohol, stripped the victim naked, recorded videos of him, and assaulted him. The victim was also kicked and threatened, while the accused allegedly demanded ₹1 lakh from him.

Unable to arrange the money, the victim was later taken towards Nelamangala. The accused allegedly stopped near a dhaba around 10.30 p.m., had dinner, and again threatened the victim, demanding ₹30,000 for his release.

Based on the complaint, the Soladevanahalli police tracked down and arrested the five accused on Monday. Further investigation is under way.

The probe revealed that the victim was allegedly in touch with the sister of one of the accused and was harassing her. Enraged by this, the accused, along with his associates, planned to teach him a lesson.