Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi

Udupi, Nov 10: The Shirva police have arrested five individuals accused of cheating a bank by pledging fake gold ornaments as genuine to obtain loans. The police also seized Rs 4.3 lac in cash, a laser machine used for forging hallmark stamps, and a computer from the accused.

Following a rise in cases of loan frauds involving counterfeit gold ornaments in Udupi district, the police acted on public complaints and launched a coordinated investigation. Under the supervision of the Kapu circle inspector, three special teams were formed and successfully tracked down the accused from Bengaluru, Goa, Mumbai, and Delhi.

Those arrested have been identified as Puneet Anand Kotian (Ambalpady Kappettu), Sudeep (Laxminagar, Tenkanidiyur), Ranjan Kumar (Enagudde, Katapady), Sarvajeeth H (Alangar, Perdur), and Rajesh Dileep Patil (Rahatan, Shrinagar, Pune, Maharashtra).

During interrogation, police learned that the accused had carried out similar fraudulent activities in Brahmavar, Hiriyadka, and Udupi town by pledging fake gold ornaments to secure loans from multiple banks. Four cases had already been registered at Shirva police station based on complaints from the manager of Karnataka Bank, Kattengeri branch.

All the accused were produced before court and remanded to judicial custody.

The operation was conducted under the guidance of Dr Harsha Priyavanda, assistant superintendent of police, Karkala subdivision, and Azmat Ali, circle inspector of Kapu. It was led by PSI Manjunath Marabath and PSI Lohith Kumar C S of Shirva, PSI Anil Kumar T Naik of Padubidri, and ASI Sridhar K J, along with police personnel Kishore, Manjunath, Arun, Siddaraya, Nagaraj, and CHC Nagaraj of Padubidri station.