Mangaluru Police Invoke KCOCA Against Alleged Extortion Racket

According to a report from 2025-11-05T18:12:53+00:00, the Mangaluru City police have taken strong action against an alleged extortion racket operating in the Bajpe area. The police have invoked the Karnataka Control of Organised Crimes Act (KCOCA) against three individuals - Prashant alias Pachu, Ganesh, and Ashwith - who are accused of threatening and extorting money from local cracker shop owners.

The case was registered following a complaint by Damodar, the owner of a cracker shop in Bajpe. The accused reportedly visited several shops in the area, accompanied by Ashwith, and issued threats to the traders in an attempt to extort money. While the incident occurred on October 22nd, the shopkeepers initially hesitated to file complaints due to fear. However, after receiving assurances of police protection, the complaint was eventually lodged.

Mangaluru City Police Commissioner Sudheer Kumar Reddy CH revealed that the police had previously received complaints about Prashant's alleged extortion activities. Prashant was also found to be an associate of Suhas Shetty, who was murdered in May this year, and had connections to the Fazil murder case as well. The accused have extensive criminal histories, with Prashant facing 14 cases, including one for murder and four for attempted murder, while Ganesh faces four cases, including two for attempted murder.

The police have taken a strong stance against the alleged extortion racket, invoking the stringent KCOCA to ensure a thorough investigation and appropriate legal action against the accused.