Bangalore : Engineer kidnapped and tortured by his employers

Bangalore : After accusing him of stealing data, his employers allegedly kidnapped and tortured him in order to extort money. Based on the complaint filed by the victim, a resident of Richmond Town, the Ashok Nagar police on Friday booked the firm’s accounts manager, chief executive officer, and other senior staff under Sections 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by any instrument) 506 (criminal intimidation) 355 (use of criminal force to dishonour) 364a(kidnap or abduction for ransom) 342 (wrongful confinement) 384 (extortion) and 392 (robbery) of the Indian Penal Code.

In his complaint, the victim said he worked for an IT company on Queen’s Road having joined in 2019. On Wednesday, the firm had filed a complaint with the cyber crime police about data theft following which the victim had gone to the station to give his statement.

When he came out of the station, one of the accused was waiting for him. He offered him a lift to the office. The victim’s ordeal began soon after he entered the office. The other accused accused him of stealing data and working for another company. They beat him with slippers, stripped him naked, and took videos of him after they forced him to confess to data theft. In his statement, the victim said the accused continued to torture him and denied him food till the next day.

They then called his father to the office demanding ₹40 lakh for his release. They finally agreed to ₹15 lakh. He was released after the money was transferred. Scared and exhausted, the victim went home and recovered before approaching the police on August 13. An FIR has been registered and the police are probing the case.