With his help, the couple managed to ‘earn’ Rs19.5 lakh in just four months.
A middle-aged couple living in JP Nagar has been arrested for playing friend, philosopher and guide to a petty criminal.
The central crime branch (CCB) on Friday arrested 47-year-old Suryanarayana Hegde, who owns a phenyl-manufacturing unit in JP Nagar, and his wife, Netravathy, from their house in 18th Main, JP Nagar V Phase for providing shelter to a habitual offender.
They provided shelter to him for a short period and mentored him to steal by alerting him about possible targets and the ways to commit the crime. Later, they would demand their share in the booty.
With help of just one petty criminal, the couple managed to ‘earn’ `19.5 lakh in four months. Their luck ran out when the CCB, acting on a tip-off, nabbed Mallikarjuna alias Puneet alias Nanda, 22. He not only confessed to more than half a dozen burglaries, but also spilled the beans about Hegde and Netravathy.
A high-school dropout, Puneet hails from Gulbarga, and came to Bangalore in search of job. He took to crime because of bad company and was booked in a robbery case and jailed in 2009. He was acquitted owing to lack of evidence. He then met Hegde and Netravathy through one of his associates. The couple not only gave him a shelter, but also encouraged him to commit crimes.
Puneet was used to a lavish lifestyle and would fund his habits by targeting couples who head out for work in the daytime. After observing the target’s house for a few days, he used to burgle the house. Puneet would then hand over the booty to Hegde, who used to mortgage the valuables in banks.
One-fourth of the money would be given to Puneet and the rest was used for the couple’s investments and businesses.
With the share, Puneet bought expensive motorcycles and spent the rest of the money on alcohol and prostitutes. “We are investigating to ascertain if the couple is involved in more such crimes,” said inspector KS Tanveer.
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