Serial extortionist faking accidents in Bengaluru strikes again
Bengaluru: A serial extortionist known for faking road accidents and targeting lone vehicle users — particularly senior citizens — has struck again in the heart of Bengaluru, weeks after skipping court hearings and going underground.
The suspect, Jameel Khan alias Saleem, 29, from Rajendra Nagar in Mysuru, had been arrested in Jan this year by Banashankari police for duping two motorists of more than Rs 1.5 lakh using the same modus operandi. He was remanded in judicial custody and released on bail after 40 days. Since then, police said, he has failed to appear in court, prompting them to initiate proceedings to cancel his bail.
On June 2, Khan resurfaced, this time targeting a 78-year-old businessman, M Chandrashekhar, on MG Road, while he was heading towards Anil Kumble Circle.
Near Trinity Circle, Khan's two-wheeler grazed the elderly man's car. Caught in heavy traffic, the latter chose not to stop, assuming it was a minor scratch.
But Khan later overtook him, blocked his car near Mayo Hall, and climbed into the vehicle, claiming that his brother had been seriously injured and needed hospitalisation. "He entered my car suddenly and accused me of injuring his brother's leg in an accident. He demanded Rs 1 lakh as compensation," Chandrashekhar told TOI.
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The incident occurred between 11.15am and 11.30am.
"He kept talking on the phone, instructing someone to call an ambulance, which added to the pressure. He was very convincing and aggressive," Chandrashekhar recalled.
Khan first snatched Rs 2,500 from Chandrashekhar's dashboard and then forced him to withdraw another Rs 3,000 from an ATM kiosk near Mayo Hall. The accused fled with the money soon after. Distressed and fearful, Chandrashekhar sought help from the staff at an MNC bank branch nearby, but no one came to his aid.
The victim later filed a complaint with Ashok Nagar police, who launched a search but couldn't apprehend the culprit.
How TOI report helped
It was an old TOI article that helped Chandrashekhar identify the crook. "When I shared the experience with a friend, he sent me a link to an earlier news report detailing his (Khan's) methods and had his photo. It was clearly the same man," he said.
Police records reveal a troubling history.
In Jan, Khan was booked after a 68-year-old resident of Jayanagar IV Block reported being extorted of Rs 1.1 lakh in a similar fashion. On the same day, police found that another person was cheated out of Rs 60,000, also by Khan. Both cases involved the same method: A fabricated accident and an urgent demand for compensation.
"Khan has been involved in at least 15 such cases across Mysuru, Maddur, Srirangapatna, Ramanagara, and Bengaluru since 2018.
He typically targets lone car occupants, especially senior citizens," said an investigating officer.
The incident has prompted police to issue a public advisory. "In such situations, don't panic. Call 112 immediately. A Hoysala patrol vehicle will respond within 10 minutes. Alternatively, drive to the nearest police station or flag down a patrolling officer for assistance," a senior officer said.
GFX (with P2-Khan mug shot)
A HABITUAL OFFENDER
* Jameel Khan alias Saleem, a 29-year-old from Mysuru, is a known extortionist who fakes road accidents to target lone motorists, especially senior citizens, in Bengaluru and nearby cities
* On June 2, he allegedly targeted a 78-year-old businessman on MG Road by staging a minor accident, forcefully entering the victim's car and demanding Rs 1 lakh as compensation
* Khan snatched Rs 2,500 from the car's dashboard and coerced the victim to withdraw an additional Rs 3,000 from an ATM before fleeing
* He had been arrested in Jan 2025 for similar crimes. He was released on bail after 40 days, and has since skipped court appearances, prompting efforts to revoke his bail
* Police link Khan to at least 15 similar extortion cases since 2018 across Mysuru, Maddur, Srirangapatna, Ramanagara, and Bengaluru
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