Bengaluru, June 19 -- A CID inspector has gone into hiding after allegedly masterminding the robbery of Rs 20 lakh from Kerala-based businessmen at a hotel in Madiwala, using an official police vehicle and his own identity card to pull off what the victims initially believed was a legitimate police operation.

The accused, CID Inspector Mahesh Kanakagiri, is absconding. One of his four alleged accomplices, Kupendra, was arrested on Wednesday, June 17, and his statement during interrogation is said to have cracked the case open.

How the robbery unfolded

The Kerala businessmen had checked into a private hotel in Madiwala carrying cash for trading purposes. According to investigators, Kanakagiri received a tip-off about the men and the mon...