Bengaluru: Manjunath, a resident of Agrahara Dasarahalli, extorted Rs 14,000 from the owner of a lodge in Cottonpet, accusing him of running a prostitution racket and threatening to expose him if he didn’t pay up. He posed as a journalist. He has now been picked up by the police.

The lodge owner was approached about a week ago, by Manjunath, and three of his friends, with fake press cards.

The lodge owner denied running a prostitution racket and told them they were free to go to the police. But they told him that the police would shut down the lodge if they raided it. They demanded Rs: 1.5 Lakh at first. He negotiated it down to Rs: 30000 in two installments.  He paid Rs: 14000 as the first installment and asked them to come back for the balance.

When Manjunath, went alone on Tuesday morning, to the lodge to collect the balance, the owner and others managed to overpower him as he was alone. They beat him up and he admitted that he was an impostor. He was then handed over to the police. Police have recovered fake identity cards of television channels and newspapers from him.

During police interrogation, Manjunath reportedly confessed to the crime. Police are now trying to trace his three accomplices, a senior officer said. A case of extortion has been registered at the Cottonpet police station.