Overview
- The accused, identified as 49-year-old Dada Peer from Kolar, was detained near Bannerghatta after approaching a pawn broker to sell about 60 g of gold without documents.
- Investigators say he posed as a spiritual healer who promised to remove black magic or reveal hidden treasure, then had victims place jewellery in a box he secretly filled with stones before fleeing.
- Police recovered roughly 485.4 g of jewellery valued around ₹53 lakh, with part seized at his Kolar residence and the rest traced to pledges in Nagpur and Bengaluru’s BTM Layout.
- With the arrest, officers say they have solved four theft cases—two in Hulimavu and one each in Bhadravathi and Ballari—and noted he is a habitual offender with prior arrests.
- He was remanded to judicial custody on October 10 as inquiries continue to identify additional victims, recover pledged or sold items, and map his record via CCTNS and ICJS.