Madikeri, November 13: The district police have formed a special squad to trace the accused who cheated a person of Rs 1 lakh in the name of Tourism and District Minister S.R. Mahesh, and started investigation.

The incident came to light very late. A Bengaluru-based person was cheated by a gang of three persons. A case was registered at Madikeri town police station and the special team intensified the investigation. Madikeri CPI Anup Madappa said that the team would nab the accused within a couple of days.

About incident

Bengaluru Banashankari resident Linge Gowda was basically from Maddur village and he has 7 acres of land in Kushalnagar. He has submitted an application to the deputy commissioner’s office for conversion of the land and the files were ready for the conversion.

In view of this, Linge Gowda had arrived at Kushalnagar on November 3 to get the records and stayed there. On November 4, when came to the DC office, a person enquired him about his purpose. When Linge Gowda explained as to why he has come to DC office, the stranger introduced himself as case worker Girish and he has prepared all his land conversion documents and asked him to pay Rs 1 lakh fee for land conversion and additional Rs 1000 for other expenses.

The stranger called another person over phone and handed over the mobile to Linge Gowda saying that he was the personal secretary to District Minister S.R. Mahesh. From other end, the person introduced himself as the personal assistant of the Minister and said all his land conversion documents were ready. Later, that person asked Linge Gowda to speak to Minister S.R. Mahesh over phone and handed over the phone to someone who claimed himself as S.R. Mahesh and said all documents were ready and take them from Girish and disconnected the phone call.

Believing this drama, Linge Gowda admitted that he has only Rs 4,000 cash in hand and he has Rs 47,000 in bank account. Later, he took that stranger to the bank. For the remaining Rs 50,000, Linge Gowda called his friend and asked him to transfer Rs 50,000 to his account. Later, he has drawn Rs 97,000 from a private bank at Kodava Samaj commercial complex and gave total Rs 1,01,000 to the stranger. After getting the amount, the stranger informed Linge Gowda that he would go to the taluk office to pay the fee and will come back to DC office where you can get the documents. But when Linge Gowda waited for the stranger at the DC office, he did not turn up. When he called him over the phone, the phone was switched off. Later, he realized that he was cheated.

Later, he lodged a complaint at the city police station. The police suddenly checked the CCTV camera footage at the DC office and bank. Now, the special team intensified the investigation. Now, the CPI said that the police would arrest the cheaters soon.

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Palakkad (Kerala) (PTI): Five people have been arrested for allegedly beating to death a Jharkhand native on suspicion of theft near Walayar here a day ago, police said on Friday.

The arrests were formally recorded late Thursday night and all the accused have been booked for the offence of murder under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, an officer of Walayar police station said.

The deceased -- Ramnarayan Bhayar (31) -- was working as a labourer in the Walayar area.

According to police, Bhayar was attacked by a group of men on Wednesday evening, alleging that he was involved in a theft at Kizhakeattappallam near Walayar.

As per the FIR, the incident occurred before 7.40 pm, and the injured Bhayar was rushed to the Palakkad District Government Hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries.

Police said a detailed investigation was underway to ascertain the sequence of events leading to the incident.