Bengaluru

Parappana Agrahara

startup

CCTV

Vijayanagar

It could have been yet another IT success story fromhad this duo resisted the temptation for a quick buck through crime.When MN Jabiuddin alias Tabrez (30) from HBR Layout, and G Arun Kumar (36) from Mahalakshmi Layout – two hardened criminals – bumped into each other inprison, they saw opportunity in the city’sculture. They decided to create an app that would have details of all the reputed schools in the city. They even planned to set up a team of software engineers to develop the app.However, they were told that it would cost at least Rs 2 lakh to get the job done. To mop up that money, they prowled the city streets on a stolen scooter, targeting lone women and speeding away with their gold chains. Until, of course, the law caught up with them. The police recovered 1.2 kg of gold ornaments, worth at least Rs 35 lakh.According to the police, the startup plan was shelved when the duo realised they could make more money snatching chains. “Jabiuddin is a college dropout while Arun has studied till Class 9,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Sharanappa S Dhage. The police claimed that Arun was the one who came up with the startup idea at Parappana Agrahara and he convinced Jabiuddin to join him. He came out on bail in March and contacted a city-based app developer. To raise money, in a span of four months, they had targeted 29 women.“As chain-snatching became lucrative, the focus shifted from app development to crime. The two were caught based on afootage of a chain-snatching case. As they were habitual offenders, the police found them on the database and eventually arrested the two,” explained an officer. There are cases against them in Jayanagar, JP Nagar, Banashankari, Rajajinagar, Mico Layout and, among other places.The maximum cases were registered against them in the South division (12 cases); nine in West division, six in North division and one each in South East and North East divisions. Jabiuddin is involved in nearly 49 cases, including murder and chainsnatching. Arun, too, is involved in a murder and dacoity case, among others. Meanwhile, the city police claims to have solved 144 of the 171 chainsnatching cases reported till June this year.