Seven held in Belagavi for 'money-doubling' fraud, two cops among arrested
Belagavi (Karnataka) (PTI): A gang promising to quadruple investors' money has been busted in this district with the arrest of seven people, including two policemen from Maharashtra, officials said on Tuesday.
Those arrested have been identified as Parashuram Bhimshi Badakari, Imran Babajan Junedi, Jayashree Babu Kamble, Manisha Raju Gaikwad, Ujwala Tulsiram Bilane, they said.
Other accused arrested include two policemen from Maharashtra — Anant Prakash Narawade and Dildar Rabbani Shaikh — who were part of the gang, police said.
According to police, the fraudulent activities were being carried out from a house near a temple in the Srinagar area of Gokak town. The accused allegedly lured victims by claiming they could "double or multiply currency using chemicals"
The accused would take genuine currency notes from victims and provide a demonstration by placing Rs 500 notes along with blackened blank papers into a machine. The papers were then heated and treated with a powder to create the illusion of currency duplication, Superintendent of Police K Ramrajan told reporters here.
The victims were subsequently told to take the remaining sheets home and wash them to obtain more notes. By then, the accused had already fled with the original cash, he said.
Police have seized a heating machine used in the fraud, bottles containing black liquid, a bag with blank sheets, eight mobile phones and cash amounting to Rs 2,520 from the accused, he added.
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CM Siddaramaiah alleges ‘criminal conspiracy’ in Sringeri recount, vows legal action
Bengaluru (PTI): Alleging a “criminal conspiracy” by BJP candidate D N Jeevaraj in the Sringeri Assembly poll recounting, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said the outcome was manipulated after valid postal ballot votes in favour of Congress leader T D Raje Gowda were tampered with during the recounting process.
Following a Karnataka High Court order on an election petition filed by Jeevaraj, challenging Raje Gowda’s election, the reverification and recounting were conducted on Saturday.
After the reverification and recount of postal ballots for the Sringeri Assembly constituency, votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda were reduced by 255, the returning officer said.
A report on the matter has been submitted to the Election Commission of India for further action, the officer added.
Congress leader Raje Gowda had won the 2023 Assembly polls from Sringeri by 201 votes, defeating his nearest rival Jeevaraj.
Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, Siddaramaiah said the High Court had directed the recounting of postal ballots and that irregularities were noticed during the exercise conducted on May 2.
“This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” Siddaramaiah said, alleging that valid votes cast in favour of Raje Gowda were altered after being accepted by counting agents of all parties, including Congress, BJP, and JD(S).
He claimed that during the recounting of postal ballots, 255 votes were initially accepted as valid by all agents but were later tampered with by subordinate officials.
“There is a second mark on the votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda. They had accepted these as valid votes. Subsequently, another mark was made by officials. This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” he said.
When asked who was behind the alleged conspiracy, the CM replied, “It was hatched by Jeevaraj and others. It is planned.”
Siddaramaiah further alleged that the returning officer acted improperly by declaring the result despite the presence of an Election Commission observer during the recounting.
“Immediately after the counting, the returning officer announced the result. He should not have done so; this is against the law,” he said.
He pointed out that Raje Gowda had originally won by 201 votes, but after the recounting, the BJP candidate was declared the winner by 52 votes.
“The BJP has committed a criminal act of conspiracy. This is not vote chori but vote dacoity,” he alleged.
The CM said a police complaint had already been filed by Raje Gowda’s election agent, Sudhir Kumar, and emphasised the need for electoral integrity.
“We want transparency and free and fair elections. That is what our Constitution mandates,” he added.
Stating that the government would pursue legal remedies, Siddaramaiah said, “We are preparing an appeal challenging the returning officer’s announcement in a court of law.”
Responding to a separate query on elections in other states, the CM said there appeared to be an anti-incumbency factor in West Bengal, while results in Tamil Nadu were “surprising,” adding that Vijay’s party was emerging as the largest there.
Following the victory of party candidates in Bagalkote and Davanagere South, Siddaramaiah expressed confidence about future electoral prospects in Karnataka.
“Even in 2028, we will win the Assembly elections. We will come back,” the CM said.
Siddaramaiah added that he would order a forensic examination into the alleged tampering of postal ballots.
