Mysore/Mysuru: Five persons, including a woman have been arrested by Kuvempunagar Police on the charges of extorting money from a Mysuru-based doctor, who runs a clinic in Periyapatna taluk of Mysuru district.

The accused have been identified as Naveen of Neralakuppe, Harish of Muddanahalli, Shivaraj of Makodu, Anitha of Hunsur and Vijay of Nandipura. 

Based on the complaint lodged by Dr. Prakash Baburao, a resident of Dattagalli in Mysuru, a First Information Report (FIR) was filed on Nov. 11 and all the five accused were arrested by Police on Nov. 15. 

Though the cops have recovered a car from the accused, they are yet to reclaim Rs.30 lakh extortion money collected from the doctor. The arrests were made by Kuvempunagar Police Inspector Raju.

Dr. Prakash Baburao told Star of Mysore that he runs a clinic in Periyapatna town. 

In January, Naveen, Harish and Shivaraj came to him claiming that they have a video conversation and shared the screen shot of the same with him. They threatened to upload the video on social media platform if he did not pay money to them. 

The doctor, who also happens to be the President of Periyapatna Taluk BJP Unit, said he became totally confused and depressed after being confronted by the trio. Since January, the doctor has paid Rs.30 lakh to them on different dates. 

Interestingly, the prime accused Naveen was an office-bearer in BJP Yuva Morcha, and had been removed from the party post following complaints of extortion.

Dr. Baburao said after some days, the trio brought two others, Anitha and Vijay with them to his clinic to pester him to pay more money. The accused had bought a new car out of the ransom money. Naveen had  appointed Anita’s husband as the car driver. 

Deciding to put an end to this menace, the doctor went to Kuvempunagar Police Station on Nov. 11 and filed a complaint against five persons. After which, the cops picked up all the five accused for interrogation. 

“Their modus operandi is to identify reputed people in society and extort them by showing audio and video of their conversation. Their prime targets are doctors and officers in Government Departments. The accused have also taken large sums from many persons promising them jobs,”  said the doctor.

Why paid Rs. 30 lakh?

The cops are puzzled as to why the complainant doctor paid Rs.30 lakh to the gang if he was innocent. According to the doctor, he had paid them the money on different dates. Had he not done anything wrong, he should have complained to the Police on the first day itself. Seeking answers to all these questions, Kuvempunagar Police are probing this case from different angles.