Bangalore, Aug 27 (CNN-IBN) : A suspected serial rapist has been arrested by the Bangalore police on Tuesday. The police said the repeat offender has kidnapped at least 16 school going girls in the last two months and in many cases, has abused them before letting them go.

The police claimed that 30-year-old Janardhan Chari used to steal bikes and was once arrested. But came out on bail before police caught on to his more serious crimes. They finally connected him to a spate of kidnappings about three weeks back, after which a manhunt was launched.

Though he had managed to con the police on many occasions, even pretending to be a constable. He had even visited some police stations to check records against him. Chari was finally picked up from a lodge he used to frequent.

Bangalore Police Commissioner Raghavendra Auradkar said, "He used to tell minor girls that I am your father's friend or some distant relative or want to come to your house to give an invitation etc. Used to take their jewellery and in some cases take them to a lodge also."

The police said 16 cases have been lodged at different police stations, while Chari himself has confessed to 31 kidnappings so far.
The handcuffed Chari confessed before the media persons. He said, "I used to take them to places a few kilometers away from where I picked them."

Only one rape case has been lodged officially against him, but police sources said that in many of the cases, rapes or sexual abuse has taken place. But families of these minor girls haven't lodged a sexual abuse case citing social stigma. Therefore they are being treated as kidnap cases.