Bengaluru: Two individuals have been apprehended by the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) police for conning a young man under the guise of offering a budget-friendly ride home.
The occurrence took place during the early hours of June 20, when Sandeep Penakalapati, a college student from Andhra Pradesh, landed at KIA Terminal 2 after returning from Japan. While attempting to secure a taxi to his J P Nagar residence, Santosh (46) approached him with an offer to travel for ₹1,000, claiming it to be a cheaper deal than app-based cabs.
The vehicle was driven by Kabiruddin (33), who shortly into the trip handed over his phone to Sandeep, stating it was a ride confirmation call. On the line, Santosh revised the fare structure—demanding a base charge of ₹899, an additional ₹50 per kilometre, and a night-time levy of 1.9% on the total fare.
Sandeep declined the inflated cost and requested the ride be halted. However, Kabiruddin refused, locked the doors, and sped off, ignoring the passenger’s protests. Upon reaching Esteem Mall, the driver demanded ₹4,220, forcing Sandeep to pay. He then discarded the luggage on the roadside and fled.
Sandeep narrated the ordeal to his father Pradeep, who filed a formal police complaint. Both accused have been taken into judicial custody. Authorities caution travelers to use only authorised transport services to avoid such scams.