A former city councillor G.K. Venkatesh, presently with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has been arrested by the Central Crime Branch of the city police in a case of abduction and extortion.
Mr. Venkatesh is a close associate of R.R. Nagar BJP MLA Munirathna and moved with him to BJP from the Congress in 2019. He represented Yeshwanthpur ward in the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Council from 2015 to 2020, when he was in Congress.
A contractor, Chandru, who bagged a tender and was carrying out civic works in Yeshwanthpur ward, was allegedly abducted by Mr. Venkatesh’s henchmen and held captive for a few days recently. The contractor, in his complaint, alleged that he was assaulted in captivity. He said the former councillor was upset that he was carrying out works in his ward without his permission. The contractor alleged that he was let go only after he gave a cheque of ₹3 crore to Mr. Venkatesh.
