Trio uses rowdy’s pic to threaten businessman, lands in CCB custody in Bengaluru

Bengaluru: Central Crime Branch (CCB) sleuths have arrested three persons for allegedly demanding exorbitant interest from a businessman-borrower by threatening him with a rowdy's picture.
The victim, identified as Ravi M, 35, had borrowed Rs 13 lakh from the accused to launch an application and paid them Rs 63 lakh until he lodged the complaint with CB on April 2. The arrested are Deepak, 36, Jay Kumar, 39, and Balu, 32.
Ravi, an MCA graduate, in his complaint, told police that he and Deepak became friends as they were working for a private firm in 2010. Later, he worked for a software company. He used to borrow a few thousand rupees from Deepak when he needed it, and would return it. In 2022, Ravi approached Deepak for money to launch an application related to a taxi aggregator. He borrowed Rs 13 lakh on the agreement of returning Rs 26 lakh. As he was unable to return the money on time, he agreed to pay Rs 36 lakh. He was paying Rs 3.6 lakh interest per month. In between, he sold his property in Kurubarahalli for Rs 53 lakh, but he didn't clear the loan from Deepak. He also borrowed Rs 8 lakh from Deepak's friend Jay Kumar, for which he paid Rs 80,000 interest per month.
When he didn't pay the interest to the duo, they allegedly held him captive and demanded Rs 4 crore from him. Deepak is friends with rowdy Silent Suneel's associates Viji and Purushotham alias Oil, and he had clicked a few photos with Suneel. He started threatening Ravi by showing Suneel's photo and demanded money. Ravi told police that even after paying Rs 63 lakh, the duo and others were harassing him.
Officials from the organised crime wing (west) took up the case and arrested the trio. Balu used to issue Ravi death threats. Probe is on to ascertain the role of others.