Former Speaker K.G. Bopaiah, who is also a BJP MLA representing Virajpet constituency in Kodagu, has alleged that he received a telephone call for ransom on Wednesday evening.
Mr. Bopaiah, who has lodged a complaint with the Madikeri Town police, told reporters that the caller claimed to be representing the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) and threatened to raid his residence the next morning if he did not settle the matter with him by transferring ₹1 crore to his bank account.
The caller accused Mr. Bopaiah of amassing a lot of wealth, but did not mention anything about the latter’s status as an MLA. Mr. Bopaiah said he also did not divulge his identity to the caller. He said it appeared that the fraudster was calling after seeing his name as written on the nameboard outside his house.
The alleged fraudster called Mr. Bopaiah for the second time on the same evening after a couple of minutes from a different number. The caller, who was speaking in Kannada, disconnected the call after Mr. Bopaiah threatened to take action against him. The return calls made by Mr. Bopaiah to the number went unanswered.
However, suspecting that the fraudster could be targeting many others like him and trying to blackmail them, a formal complaint was lodged. The calls were traced to Andhra Pradesh. “The Cyber Crime Police in Bengaluru has taken up the case seriously and is investigating the matter”, Mr. Bopaiah told reporters.
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