Chief accountant arrested near Nanjangud for embezzling Rs 2.5 crore from Dubai hotel
Mysuru: The Udupi police have arrested a 31-year-old Indian expatriate, Nagesh Poojary, who is accused of embezzling Rs 2.5 crore from a hotel owned by Dubai's Fortune Group while serving as the chief accountant.
Poojary, a resident of Barkur in Udupi district, reportedly siphoned off the funds in a phased manner. After initially securing bail from a judicial magistrate first class court, he went absconding following the cancellation of his bail by both the district sessions court and the Karnataka High Court.
Police arrested him near Nanjangud in the Mysuru district. Poojary was subsequently presented before a court, which has remanded him in police custody for three days, until October 16, for further investigation.
Poojary joined the Dubai-based Fortune Group of Hotels, managed by Kundapur hotelier Varkady Praveen Kumar Shetty, as an accountant and was promoted to chief accountant in 2022. In 2023, he returned to India for his wedding on a three-month leave, which he later extended. After his request for an additional 15 days was denied, he resigned via email.
During a review of the hotel’s financial records, the management discovered a shortage of Rs 2.55 crore, which Poojary had allegedly embezzled by creating false entries in the accounts to cover up his cash transactions. Following the cancellation of his bail, he evaded authorities.
The government recently appointed Shivaprasad Alva, a senior law officer from Mangaluru, as the special public prosecutor to handle the case.
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WI beat England by 6 wickets, enter women's T20 WC semifinals
Dubai, Oct 15: Captain Hayley Matthews and her opening partner Qiana Joseph struck fine half centuries as the West Indies registered a thumping six-wicket win over England to qualify for the semifinals of the Women's T20 World Cup here on Tuesday.
England were knocked out of the showpiece following the defeat.
Matthews (50 off 38 balls) and Joseph (52 off 38 balls) shared 102 runs for the opening wicket in 12.2 overs to take the game away from England as West Indies chased down the target of 142 with 12 balls to spare.
Both got out in quick succession but Deandra Dottin's 27 off 19 balls ensured that West Indies reached 142 for 4 in 18 overs.
South Africa will face Group A winners and defending champions Australia in the first semifinals on Thursday while West Indies take on Group A runners-up New Zealand in the second semifinals on Friday.
West Indies finished their league engagements with six points from four matches, the same as South Africa and England. But the Caribbeans have the highest Net Run Rate of + 1.504, followed by South Africa (+1.382). England, who ended with NRR of + 1.117, finished third in Group B and were eliminated.
India have already been eliminated from the semifinal race after finishing third in Group A.
Put in to bat, England slumped to 34 for 3 just after power play but recovered to post 141 for 7 with Nat Sciver-Brunt top-scoring with 57 not out off 50 balls while captain Heather Knight retired hurt on 21 off 13 balls.
For West Indies, leg-spinner Afy Fletcher took three wickets for 21 runs from her four overs while Hayley Matthews got two scalps.
Brief Scores:
England: 141 for 7 in 20 overs (Nat Sciver-Brunt 57 not out; Afy Fletcher 3/21).
West Indies: 142 for 4 in 18 overs (Hayley Matthews 50, Qiana Joseph 52; Sarah Glenn 1/20).
