CID Inspector and Two Others Arrested for Looting Rs 20 Lakh from Businessman
The Bengaluru police have arrested a CID police inspector and two of his associates for allegedly looting Rs 20 lakh from a Kerala businessman at a hotel near Silk Board. The arrests of inspector Mahesh Kanakagiri, Vasanth Kumar, and Kupendra Reddy took place on Friday, June 19, 2026, following a five-day investigation into the heist.
The incident occurred on June 15, 2026, when the victim, 40-year-old Junish Babu AK, and his friend checked into a hotel near Silk Board for business. According to the police, the accused had previously contacted Junish regarding trading opportunities, promising high returns, and instructed him to bring cash.
On the day of the incident, inspector Kanakagiri and his associates arrived at the hotel in a Mahindra Bolero SUV bearing official CID insignia. While Kanakagiri allegedly remained inside the vehicle, his associates went up to the victim's room.
Using the inspector's official identification card, the associates posed as officers and accused the businessman of illegal activities, including money-laundering and drug-peddling. When the victim refused to hand over his bag containing Rs 20 lakh, the gang assaulted him and his friend before fleeing with the cash.
The victim filed a complaint with the Madiwala police on Thursday. City Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh directed officers to treat the case as a priority, prompting an investigation led by VK Vasudev, the Assistant Commissioner of Police for Madiwala.
Investigators scanned the hotel's CCTV footage and spotted the CID vehicle. The SUV was later traced to Kanakagiri's residence and seized. Vasanth Kumar and Kupendra Reddy were arrested first, while Kanakagiri initially went missing before being detained on Friday night.
A majority of the looted Rs 20 lakh has been recovered by the police. While Kanakagiri is currently being interrogated, the police are also verifying the background of the complainant. Two other suspects, identified as Hussain and Sahil, remain at large.
