Karnataka - Bellary   

Man arrested for `demanding' money from businessman

Staff Correspondent

The `naxilite' wanted Rs. 85 lakhs to fight elections

BELLARY: The police have arrested a man on the charge of making calls to a businessman demanding money.

Pankaj Kumar Thakur, Superintendent of Police, told presspersons here on Friday that Venkateshwar Rao, a businessman at Toranagal, had lodged a complaint with the police stating that he received a threatening call on Wednesday from a person, who identified himself as "naxalite" Suri, seeking Rs. 85 lakhs.

The call was made from Sirguppa in Bellary district. The police swung into action and approached the telephone exchange to trace the calls received by the complainant.

On Friday afternoon when Mr. Rao received a call, the police passed on the details to their counterparts in Sirguppa, who arrested the man.

Mr. Thakur said that the accused, Parmeshwar Nayak, who is a second-year degree student, is the president of the taluk unit of a political party.

During interrogation, Parmeshwar is said to have revealed that he had demanded money from Mr. Rao to utilise it in the coming elections to the town panchayat.

Mr. Thakur said that a mine owner in Bellary has received a letter bearing the seal of CPI M-L asking him to extend all help to the organisation.

He said that the call was made from a cell phone from Anantapur district in Andhra Pradesh.

Two special squads have been formed to investigate the case, Mr. Thakur said.

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Man arrested for `demanding' money from businessman

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