Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SP)

Udupi, Aug 19: Swaroop Shetty (23) from Ananthnagar, Manipal, who has been arrested for posing death threats, is likely to be booked for more offences, it is said. There are complaints that Swaroop had fleeced over four persons by posing life threats and extracted money from them.

As per information, in addition to two young men from Udupi and Manipal, he had also posed death threats to people from Mangaluru. Those who were threatened and robbed are now preparing to file complaints, it is learnt. During the last three months, it is said, Swaroop had forcefully collected over Rs 80 lac and if some more cases that are now surfacing are included, the amount he has collected through coercion has exceeded a crore of rupees, sources have claimed.

Swaroop has been operating the business of giving motor bikes on rent at Nitte in Karkala taluk. He also had a franchisee at Shivamogga. It is said that his main income was through death threats in the garb of bike business. He used to ensure that three young men always accompanied him, by blackmailing them and also collected money from them.

Fearing his threats, some people gave money by borrowing loans or by pledging jewellery items of family members. Those who asked their money back were threatened with death. He had obtained signatures of the youngsters on blank stamp papers. It is said that he used to sell rental bikes to customers. After a few days, he used to take back the motorbikes with the promise of setting documents right, and then not giving the bikes back.

It is learnt that Swaroop used to call the three young men who were associated with different tones and threatened him. Not knowing that Swaroop was the caller, they used to confess to him about threat calls from strangers. He used to promise them to provide protection and mediate with the callers for which he collected money. Sometimes he threatened him. Many a time he posed threat by posing as police officer, and the people got very much fearful, it is said.

Swaroop used to concoct different stores to get money from others like IT raid, financial crisis, and abduction of elder sister by rowdy, etc to convince others to part with money. Once money reached his hands, he did not give it back, it is said.