CID to probe multi-crore fraud case in Mangaluru
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Mangaluru (PTI): The multi-crore fraud case involving a 43-year-old prime accused, Roshan Saldanha, has been transferred to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on Tuesday for further investigation, police said.
Saldanha, a resident of Bajal in Mangaluru, is currently in judicial custody, they said.
He is accused of "duping" investors of several crores of rupees through fraudulent investment schemes that promised high returns, police said, adding that multiple complaints have been lodged against him by victims from various parts of Dakshina Kannada and beyond, alleging that they were misled by Saldanha's schemes and guarantees.
The Mangaluru City Police have filed a formal petition before the jurisdictional court seeking Saldanha's custody, which will be heard on July 23.
A case was registered against Saldanha by the CEN police station based on a complaint from a businessman from Bihar, alleging fraud related to a land transaction amounting to Rs 10 crore, police said.
The case involves the use of forged documents, shell companies, and sophisticated methods of financial manipulation, they said.
According to legal provisions, fraud cases exceeding Rs 10 crore in value are eligible for CID investigation. A formal request was submitted earlier, and the CID has now agreed to take up the probe.
Saldanha, already in judicial custody for other financial frauds, now faces two FIRs in Mangaluru alone, including a recent one from a Hyderabad-based individual alleging a Rs 1 crore fraud, they said.
According to the police, additional complaints have surfaced against him involving victims from Maharashtra, Assam, and Andhra Pradesh--the largest being a Rs 20 crore fraud case from Assam and a Rs 5 crore case from Maharashtra.
A Rs 40 lakh cheating case has also been registered at the Chitradurga Town police station.
Mangaluru City Police Commissioner Sudheer Kumar Reddy said other existing cases will continue to be probed by the local police. As the investigation progresses, officials have identified multiple bank accounts associated with Saldanha with transactions exceeding Rs 50 crore.
The police have sought custodial interrogation to uncover the full extent of the fraud, track the flow of funds, identify accomplices, and determine whether more victims are involved.
Investigators in the police department believe that Saldanha may have operated through multiple channels to project legitimacy, thereby gaining the confidence of unsuspecting investors. The case has garnered widespread public interest given the high value of the fraud and its ripple effect on individuals and families across the region.
Meanwhile, authorities have appealed to victims across the country to come forward with any additional complaints or information related to the case and report to local police stations or contact Mangaluru Police.
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Skipper Rahane urges KKR to embrace tough days, play with freedom
Ahmedabad (PTI): Winless after six matches, time is running out for Kolkata Knight Riders playoff hopes but their embattled skipper Ajinkya Rahane has urged the side to "embrace tough phases, play with freedom, and focus on one game at a time".
Loss has been one constant for the three-time former champions this season as they endured a five-wicket loss against Gujarat Titans to slump to their fifth defeat from six matches with their solitary point coming courtesy a rain washout against Punjab Kings at Eden Gardens.
“It’s about accepting and embracing these tough days. Every day is a new day... trying to do better, playing with freedom, and backing each other," Rahane was at his philosophical best at the post-match media interaction here on Friday.
A minimum of seven wins is needed from a 10-team league to keep a team's playoff aspirations alive.
With eight matches to go and one point in their kitty, the task will be an improbable one for KKR from here on.
'Nothing to lose'
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Rahane, however, said they have nothing to lose and it's all about playing with freedom.
“We’re thinking one game at a time. It’s tough when you lose games, but everyone is trying their best. No one wants to lose any match -- we all want to win -- but that’s what sport is all about... keep your heads up. For us, it’s about going out there, being positive, and playing with freedom. We’ve got nothing to lose.
“Let me tell you one thing: everyone is working really hard. For us, it’s all about playing for our fans and the people of Kolkata, and we’re trying to do our best.
"After each and every game, there’s discussion about how we can improve. Obviously, when you lose, you tend to think about combinations and the areas we can get better at, so the discussion is always on."
Rahane won a fourth toss from six matches this season, but his decision to bat first once again raised eyebrows. Even his counterpart Shubman Gill said at the toss he would have preferred to bowl, keeping the dew in mind.
The call backfired as KKR slipped to 32 for 3 in four overs before their Rs 25.20-crore acquisition Cameron Green bailed them out with his best innings for the franchise so far, a 79 off 55 balls.
“It’s never easy when things are not going your way, and the courage he showed was fantastic. All credit to him," Rahane said.
“Yes, as a batting team we were thinking about 200 on this wicket. It would have been challenging, but let’s not take anything away from his innings.
“Attacking Rashid Khan and their fast bowlers, he was fantastic tonight for us.”
'Proud of bowlers'
The KKR skipper also admitted in the media interaction that there was a "bit of dew" but he hailed their inexperienced bowlers for taking the match till the final over.
From being 95/1 in nine overs in their chase of 181, GT were made to sweat with Jos Buttler, Washington Sunder, Glenn Phillilps and a well-set Gill falling against the run of play.
Rahul Tewatia and Shahrukh Khan eventually sealed the nervy chase with two balls to spare.
“Special mention to our bowling unit. It’s such an inexperienced attack with just two seniors in Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy, but the kind of improvement they’ve shown, especially in the last three games, has been fantastic," said Rahane.
“Kartik Tyagi, Vaibhav Arora, and Anukul Roy have also been fantastic, bowling tough overs in the powerplay and picking up wickets.
“Our support staff is doing a great job of keeping the environment really good. It’s all about accepting, but we will keep trying our best.”
