Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru
Mangaluru, Oct 19: In a significant breakthrough, the Barke police have arrested a 28-year-old woman accused of orchestrating a series of high-value frauds across Mangaluru, Dakshina Kannada, and Udupi districts, using bounced cheques to swindle tech and jewellery stores.
The accused, identified as Fareeda Begum, also known as Farida, allegedly conned multiple reputed businesses by issuing invalid bank cheques in exchange for electronic goods and valuables, particularly targeting laptops and premium electronic devices.
The arrest follows a case registered at Barke police station (Crime No: 77/2025) under Sections 316(2), 318(2), and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.
The complainant, Jayaraya, who owns a laptop sales and service store named Laptop Bazaar located in Empire Mall, Mangaluru, reported that Fareeda, through a known associate, purchased three premium laptops from his store.
The items included an Apple MacBook Pro A2141, a Dell 5440 with a Core i5 13th Gen processor and 16GB RAM, and an Apple MacBook Pro 2442 (2021 M1 Pro). The total value of the laptops was Rs 1,98,000, which Fareeda failed to pay after issuing cheques that were later found to be non-sanctioned.
Acting swiftly, a team from Barke police station led by inspector Mohan Kottari, with investigating officer Vinayak Toragal and assistance from female constables, tracked down the accused and took her into custody.
Fareeda was formally arrested and produced before the court on October 19. The court has remanded her to judicial custody until November 3.
Hailing from Muttur village in Mangaluru taluk, Fareeda is a resident of Kuppepadavu Post, and is married to one Ramiz Raj. Investigations have revealed that this is far from her only offence. Fareeda is linked to nine fraud cases in total, each involving a similar pattern of deception.
In addition to the case at Barke police station, separate fraud cases have been registered against her at Kavoor, Bajpe, Moodbidri, and Mulki police stations in Mangaluru City. Three more cases are active at Puttur City police station, while another case has been registered at Shirva police station in Udupi district.
Police sources say she specifically targeted well-established jewellery and electronics stores, winning the trust of shop owners through persuasive communication and then issuing invalid cheques to acquire expensive merchandise.
In one instance related to a case at Mulki police station, Fareeda was granted bail by the court but failed to appear for further trial proceedings. Consequently, the court issued a warrant for her arrest. She had also evaded arrest in cases registered at Kavoor and Moodbidri police stations and remained underground for a considerable period.
A senior police official familiar with the investigation noted, “She had developed a pattern—gain the shopkeepers’ trust, make big purchases, hand over cheques from dubious banks, and disappear before the fraud is discovered.”
The police believe that there may be more victims who are yet to come forward.
Further investigation is underway, and authorities are working to trace the full extent of the scam. The arrest has come as a relief to several business owners who were left chasing justice after suffering financial losses at her hands.