An inspector with the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) allegedly colluded with at least two others and robbed ₹20 lakh from men from the Keralam state in southeast Bengaluru’s Madiwala on Thursday, police said.

The Madiwala police have arrested Mahesh Kanakagiri, CID inspector, and his accomplices Kupendra Reddy and Vasanth Kumar. However, a source in the department told The Hindu that there may be involvement of a few others, which is being verified. A special team has been constituted to probe the case.

According to sources, the accused inspector allegedly went to a private hotel along with the other accused and entered the complainants’ room. The accused allegedly claimed to be local police personnel, assaulted the victims, and robbed the money. “The suspicion is that the inspector was sitting inside the car in uniform. His exact involvement is being investigated,” a police officer said.

The victims filed a complaint at the Madiwala police station, following which Mohammad Sujeetha, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Southeast Division, formed a special team. The team swiftly arrested the two accused, whereas the inspector was on the run. However, Mahesh was traced and arrested by Friday night.

Police have booked the accused under the BNS Sections dealing with dacoity, intimidation, assault, and criminal conspiracy.

Mr. Singh said that the police had recovered the entire amount as well as the car used in the crime. Sources said that the vehicle was a government car. A senior officer told The Hindu the accused inspector, currently posted with the CID, had earlier served as the Station House Officer (SHO) of a police station in the Southeast Division. He was later moved to the Police Commissioner’s Office following certain allegations.

Preliminary information revealed that the accused inspector had received a tip-off from one of his former informants about the complainants carrying a large amount of cash, following which the plan was allegedly hatched.

Mr. Singh said that the police were also investigating the source of the money found in the complainants’ possession and the reasons for keeping it with them. The complainants have claimed that they had brought the money for trading, as one of their friends had told them about high returns on trading.