A high-ranking police inspector from Karnataka’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) is the subject of an intensive manhunt after being accused of masterminding a daring Rs 20 lakh robbery in Bengaluru.

The incident, which has sent shockwaves through the local police force, involved a group of men posing as officers to target two young businessmen from Kerala staying at a hotel in Madiwala.

A 'Police' raid at Madiwala hotel

On Thursday, the victims were resting in their hotel room with Rs 20 lakh in cash. Their stay was interrupted by a group of individuals who claimed to be from the police department. To make the act believable, the gang produced an official police identity card—later identified as belonging to Inspector Mahesh Kanakagiri—and accused the men of being involved in illegal money trading.

The charade worked. The victims, intimidated by the "officers", handed over the cash. The suspects then fled the scene in a police jeep which had been waiting outside.

The inside job unravelled

Suspicious of the encounter, the businessmen approached Madiwala police station to lodge a complaint. The subsequent investigation moved swiftly. Police arrested one suspect, identified as Kupendra, whose testimony changed the direction of the case.

During interrogation, Kupendra reportedly named Inspector Mahesh Kanakagiri as the alleged mastermind. He alleged that the inspector had received a tip-off about the businessmen and the cash they were carrying. According to the confession, Kanakagiri did not just plan the heist; he allegedly drove the team to the hotel and remained seated in the police jeep while his four associates — Harris, Kupendra, Shafi and Shaani — carried out the robbery inside.

The mastermind and the manhunt

Following the arrest of his associate, Inspector Kanakagiri and the remaining suspects have gone into hiding. Bengaluru Police Commissioner Singh confirmed that while the inspector is currently absconding, the police have made significant progress.

"The full amount has been recovered, and some of the accused have also been apprehended," the Commissioner stated, adding that the police jeep used in the crime has been seized. Special police teams have now been dispatched to various locations to track down the inspector and the rest of the gang. Every aspect of the conspiracy is being investigated to ensure all involved are brought to justice.