Actor among 11 arrested in Bengaluru for assaulting, robbing Kannada director
TA Anish, Kannada film director, brutally assaulted and robbed over a financial dispute; police recover gold ornaments, cash, and multiple mobile phones as probe continues
Eleven people, including a woman actor and social media influencer, have been arrested in Bengaluru in connection with the alleged kidnapping, assault, and robbery of Kannada film director TA Anish.
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Anish, who runs the modelling and casting agency Aneesh Creations and has directed album songs, short films, and a feature titled Jeevanada Bhashe, was attacked following a financial dispute, police said.
Brutal assault over dispute
Originally from Tamil Nadu, Anish filed a complaint at Adugodi police station on February 11 after being admitted to hospital with multiple injuries to his hands and legs. The case came to light when the hospital reported it as a medico-legal case.
Police said the dispute stemmed from an unpaid loan of Rs 2.5 lakh allegedly borrowed by one of the accused, Ashirvad (also referred to as Aashi or Ash Mello), and disagreements over an investment of Rs 5-6 lakh by an investor, Lakshmi Narayan, in Anish’s unreleased film Jeevanada Bhashe.
Two months earlier, Anish had moved to Mumbai but informed a female acquaintance in Bengaluru’s Indiranagar area, actor Aishwarya, of his plan to sell his Honda CRV. The accused learned of this and offered help in finding a buyer.
On February 9, Anish travelled from Mumbai to Bengaluru and met Aishwarya, Shahid, and another associate near Indiranagar. Under the pretext of inspecting the car and collecting an advance, he was taken to a house where the door was locked behind him. Five to six people then assaulted him with cricket stumps and hockey sticks.
Kidnapping and assault case
The attackers demanded he withdraw earlier complaints, including one filed in Tamil Nadu, and delete related evidence. When he refused, the assault continued, leaving him seriously injured.
They robbed him of gold ornaments weighing about 22 grams, including a chain and ring, and Rs 30,000 in cash. He was later taken to an isolated area near Mandaragiri Hill in Tumakuru district, where two more attackers allegedly joined and assaulted him again.
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Investigators said the group attempted to extort Rs 5 lakh and withdrew Rs 5,500 from his account using his ATM card. Lakshmi Narayan was reportedly connected via video call during part of the assault, allegedly instigating the attackers.
Adugodi police registered a case of kidnapping, wrongful confinement, assault, and robbery. Items recovered include six mobile phones, gold ornaments, the car, and cash. The accused were produced in court and remanded to custody. Police said the investigation is ongoing to establish the full sequence of events.