Bengaluru: A couple who cheated the manager of a real estate firm to the tune of Rs 3.96 crore has been arrested by the J.P. Nagar police. The accused, Ravindra Chowdari, 52, and his wife Padmavathi, 50, were residents of J.P. Nagar 8th Stage.
The complainant, Prasad, manager of Techmate Townships International, stated that the firm was planning to develop a township in Chikkaballapura, forwhich it had identified 40 acres. Farmers, who wanted to sell their lands, had asked for payment in cash.
“As it was against the policy of the firm, Prasad was looking for people who could give Rs 3.96 crore cash. He contacted Ravindra, who assured him that the cash would be arranged. As per Ravindra’s instructions, the firm credited Rs 3.96 crore into the Vijaya Bank account of his friend Venkatesh Muppaneni, who runs an infrastructure firm in Hyderabad, from its SBI bank account in Thiruvananthapuram. Ravindra and Muppaneni charged Rs 28 lakh commission. Muppaneni withdrew the remaining Rs 3.68 crore and gave it to Ravidra, who fled with the cash instead of giving it to Prasad,” the police said.
Ravindra was traced in his son-in-law’s house in J.P. Nagar. His wife, who supported him, too was arrested. “They claimed they did it to meet their expenses,” the police said.
