Abduction, extortion plot against former MLC began with accident last year: Cops

FOur people were arrested in link with a confederacy to abduct and wring money from a former mysore MLC, with constabulary saying the conspiracy began with a traffic collision involving one of the accused in December last year.The arrests, made in Bengaluru and Kerala on Wednesday night, came after investigators traced an alleged abduction and ransom demand targeting former legislator Dayananda Reddy to a dispute that began after a road accident in December 2025. Police identified the accused as B Praveen, Romeo Martin, NK Ashik and BT Adarsh, all hailing from Kerala and aged between 25 and 35.According to Bengaluru Rural superintendent of police M V Chandra Kanth, the alleged conspiracy began after a collision involving Reddy’s vehicle and a cab driven by Praveen on December 16 last year.Police said the accident itself was relatively minor, but the dispute that followed left lingering resentment. Investigators allege that associates of Reddy took Praveen to a resort and held his vehicle for three days while seeking compensation for damage caused in the collision. Praveen eventually paid ₹1.5 lakh through a cheque and recovered the vehicle.Officers now believe that incident became the catalyst for the events that unfolded months later.Chandra Kanth said the operation that followed was “carefully planned and executed”. According to investigators, Praveen remained upset over the episode and gradually developed a plan to recover money from the former legislator through intimidation. Police allege that he enlisted three associates from Kerala and spent months preparing the operation.Rather than approaching Reddy directly, investigators say the group devised a method that would allow them to get close to him without immediately raising suspicion.That opportunity came in the early hours of Tuesday when Reddy was returning home after visiting the Gold Coin Club. Near Huskur in Anekal taluk, men travelling on a motorcycle intercepted the vehicle in which he was travelling with his driver.According to police, the group approached under the guise of delivering a package. “One of the accused showed a cotton box and told the victim that a gift had arrived for him. As soon as the vehicle door was opened, the accused forcibly entered the car and threatened him with a firearm,” an officer involved in the investigation said.Police said the operation involved multiple vehicles and assigned roles for different participants. While some members of the group approached Reddy’s vehicle, another vehicle, described as a red car bearing a Kerala registration number, followed behind as the former legislator was directed to drive according to their instructions.The group eventually took him to the KHB Colony area near Attibele.According to the complaint, the men attempted to pressure Reddy by claiming that a ₹10 crore contract had been issued to kill him.Police said a firearm was placed against his neck while threats were made and money was demanded. Investigators said the group initially sought ₹3 crore before reducing the demand to ₹2 crore during discussions.Reddy allegedly informed the men that he could not immediately arrange such a large sum because banks were closed and requested time until morning. Police said the accused instructed him to contact them after arranging the money and later released him.The investigation that followed quickly returned to the December collision.Police said Praveen had “nursed a grievance” over the earlier dispute and eventually drew up a plan to extort money from Reddy. Investigators allege that the kidnapping and ransom demand were not spontaneous acts but the culmination of preparations that began months earlier.Two of the accused were arrested in Bengaluru, while the remaining two were apprehended in Palakkad, Kerala. Authorities also seized a motorcycle and a car that investigators believe were used during the operation.