Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SP)
Udupi, Jul 26: Ramesh Bhat, who happens to be a priest at Lord Ardhanareeshwara temple at Hebri and who also pursues the profession of astrology, had complained to the Hebri police on July 20 about a gang which blackmailed him and extracted money.
Bhat said in his complaint that two unknown persons approached him on July 19 when he was near the temple and showed to him a video showing him examining a woman by touching her. They threatened him with circulating the video by handing the clip over to media persons which they said would end up in the character assassination of the astrologer. They also pressurized him to part with Rs 40 lac by the same evening failing which they said besides shaming him by spreading the video, they would also eliminate him. Developing cold feet at this unexpected incident, Bhat said he parted with Rs 80,000.
On the basis of the said complaint, a case under different sections of Indian Penal Code was registered in Hebri police station.
Hebri police sub-inspector, Mahabala Shetty, acting under the guidance of police circle inspector of Karkala, Halamurthy Rao, assistant superintendent of police, Karkala, Krishnakanth, additional superintendent of police, Kumarchandra, and district superintendent of police, Nisha James, took up investigation from various angles and took into custody Suma alias Sunanda, wife of Raghavendra from Belinje village, Hebri raluk and questioned her.
During the sustained questioning, the lady confessed to having taken part in the said plan to extort money from the astrologer. She told the police that four persons, Kiran alias Shashank Shetty from Jannady in Kundapur taluk, who is her distant relative, his wife, Laxmi, and Manjunath from Karkee in Kundapur taluk had supported her in this crime.
On the basis of information provided by Suma, main accused, Kiran alias Shashank Shetty was taken into custody by the investigation team on July 25 based on reliable information. Shashank ageed to have been involved with the above act of coercion. He said that he, along with Suma, Laxmi and Manjunath, had planned to extract money from Ramesh Bhat. They recorded the scene of Bhat touching Suma when indulging in astrological consultation, after reaching the spot in a Duster car, and sending Suma to Bhat to get astrological advice on July 18. Suma was asked to complain to the astrologer about itching sensation in her chest, duly expressing the suspicion that it could be the result of herpes, which many believe to be the result of anger of the divine forces. As advised, Suma urged Bhat to touch and examine her. A cellphone with mobile camera had been concealed in her vanity bag. After Suma returned, they found that the scene of the astrologer touching Suma was recorded therein. On the evening of July 19, Shashank and Manjunath went to the temple in a motor bike, showed the video to Bhat and blackmailed him to pay forty lac rupees to them to save his reputation. Out of fear, the astrologer paid them Rs 80,000, they confessed, duly admitting that they had told Bhat that they would be back the next day to collect the remaining sum.
During further questioning, it was revealed that with the help of Suma, they had blackmailed a doctor from Tallur near Kundapur to pay money by capturing the scene of the doctor touching Suma and checking her. Similar plan was also executed against a doctor in Goliangady in Kundapur tlauk, they said. The accused further confessed to have collected Rs 1,50,000 from an entrepreneur from Jannady in Kundapur taluk and another three lac rupees from an astrologer by employing the same trick.
The police have confiscated a duster car, new motor bike, Rs 26,000 in cash, vanity bag fitted with cellphone, seven cellphones with sim of different companies, a knife, and a sword from the accused. Suma and Shashank were produced in the court after which they were remanded to judicial custody.