‘Work-from-home’ scam: Maharashtra man allegedly dupes over 8,000 women in Belagavi of Rs 12 crore
Belagavi: In a major fraud, a man from Maharashtra allegedly swindled more than 8,000 women in Belagavi of over Rs 12 crore by promising them ‘work-from-home’ jobs, before fleeing from his rented home and office in Belagavi.
A group of women recently approached the Belagavi Police Commissioner alleging that they were cheated by a man who promised them steady earnings through a work-from-home scheme involving the packing of agarbattis (incense sticks), The New Indian Express reported on Monday.
The accused, who initially identified himself as Ajay Patil, is said to have collected between Rs 2,500 and Rs 5,000 from each woman under the pretext of creating an employment ID, while also requiring each participant to recruit two more women in what appears to be a chain-marketing model. Investigations later revealed that his real name is Babasaheb Kolekar, a native of Solapur, who has since absconded.
Victims quoted in the news report said the fraudulent scheme primarily targeted women associated with self-help groups. Each participant was asked to pay between Rs 2,500 and Rs 5,000, allegedly as a “rental charge” for autorickshaws that would deliver incense sticks to their homes for packing and later collection.
The women were promised a monthly income of Rs 2,500 for completing the packaging work from home. They were further enticed with assurances of higher earnings if they recruited additional members into the scheme. However, when the promised payments never materialised, several women began questioning the organisers and eventually came together to file complaints with the authorities.
Laxmi Kamble, one of the victims of the scam, lost her husband recently and was seeking a work-from-home opportunity to support her family. She learned about the purported job scheme through other women in her community and joined it in the hope of earning a livelihood. “Many women got enrolled in this scheme due to mouth-to-mouth publicity. The police commissioner should take this case seriously, arrest the accused who fled to Maharashtra and help to return our money,” TNIE quoted her as saying.
Govind Lamani, an autorickshaw driver, said the mastermind of the scheme had hired six to seven autos to deliver incense sticks to women’s homes as part of the purported work-from-home arrangement. He added that his own wife had fallen victim to the fraud, losing Rs 20,000 in cash.
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Ready to face no-confidence motion, says Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah
Hassan (Karnataka) (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday said that the Congress government led by him was ready to face the no-confidence motion if moved by the opposition during the legislature session from December 8.
With Deputy CM D K Shivakumar by his side, he reiterated that they would both abide by the high command's decision on the leadership issue.
"Let them (opposition) bring in a no-confidence motion or adjournment motion or any other motion. We are ready to face it. Ours is an open book, transparent government. We are ready to face anything," Siddaramaiah said in response to a question.
However, BJP state President B Y Vijayendra and Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly R Ashoka, clarified that the party, along with the JD(S) has not discussed or decided anything so far regarding moving a no-confidence motion against the government.
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The winter session of the Karnataka legislature will begin in Belagavi, bordering Maharashtra, on December 8 and will go on till 19th of this month.
Not wanting to react to a question on the leadership issue, the CM said the Congress high command is very strong.
"D K Shivakumar and I will be committed to whatever the high command decides," he said.
Earlier in the day in Bengaluru, Shivakumar accompanied AICC Mallikarjun Kharge till airport from Vidhana Soudha, after paying tributes to B R Ambedkar on his 69th death anniversary, which had led to some speculation about possible discussion between the two on the leadership issue.
The power tussle within the ruling party had intensified amid speculation about a change in chief minister in the state, after the Congress government reached the halfway mark of its five-year term on November 20.
However, both the CM and Deputy CM had recently held breakfast meetings at each others residences, on the instructions of the high command, which is seen as a move to pause the leadership tussle between the two and to signal Siddaramaiah's continuation as the CM for the time being, especially ahead of the Belagavi legislature session.
