Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore (SP)

Bangalore, Oct 9: A housewife who masterminded robbery and abduction cases in the city, was caught by the policemen recently.

The lady in question, Swapna(28) from Chamarajpet II Cross in the city, executed her plans with the help of her paramour named Rajesh, who worked as car driver. The two are charged with forming a gang of youth and using their services for criminal activities. Rajesh, his friends Balaji, Krishna, Puttaswamy and some others are charged with having been involved in several robbery cases apart from kidnapping, in the city.

With the arrest of the gang, several cases of robbery registered in Shankarpura, K G Nagar, Chamarajpet, Rajajinagar, Mysore Circle, HSR Lay Out etc., were solved. The police have also seized from the possession of the accused, cash, ornaments, electronic items etc., worth several lacs of rupees.

The police learnt, that Swapna's husband had removed car driver Rajesh from work, after he came to know of his driver's affair with Swapna. The duo continued to work in tandem in the absence of her husband. It is said, Swapna first targetted the house of her uncle located in the first floor of the same building, when they had left the key of the house with her, when they were away.

Emboldened by the success and the fact that her role was not suspected in the theft, she instructed her crony and his accomplices to rob houses in the neighbourhod of her parents' house and then spread out the net wider. Kidnapping too was resorted to, to force the victims to cough up money.

The gang has so far confessed to several cases of robbery and a case of kidnapping in which they succeeded in collecting ransom in exchange for the victim's release. The gang members said in unison, that Swapna was their leader. The mastermind and her accomplices are in judicial custody now.