South India’s most wanted criminal, 7 associates arrested in kidnap case

CHIKKABALLAPUR: The Bagepalli police have arrested south India’s most wanted criminal, Bombay Saleem, along with seven of his associates in connection with the kidnapping and extortion of a resident of Gudibande taluk in December 2024.

The arrested are Bombay Saleem, Anil of Chilamathur in Andhra Pradesh, Chetan and history-sheeter Nagesh of Rajanukunte, Chetan of Bagepalli, Babu Reddy of Gudibande, Waseem and Alsam of Bengaluru. The police have also recovered three mobile phones, Rs 5.3 lakh in cash and a Toyota Innova Hycross SUV from them.

Police Superintendent Kushal Chouksey said that on December 20, 2024, Saleem and his gang had waylaid Ashwathnarayan Swamy of Ganganahalli in Gudibande taluk near Adiganahalli Cross on the Bengaluru-Hyderabad highway. They pulled him out of his Maruti Swift car and bundled him into the Toyota Innova Hycross, took away Rs 16 lakh cash which was in the car and later demanded a ransom of Rs 50 lakh, the SP said.

Based on a complaint from Ashwathnarayan Swamy’s wife, the Bagepalli police had registered a case and taken up investigation.