Bengaluru: The CK Acchukattu police have arrested a three member gang who allegedly cheated several women to the tune of Rs 30 lakh in the pretext of setting up candle manufacturing units for the women who were a part of self help groups.
The arrested have been identified as H.C. Pradeep Kumar alias Harish, 33, resident of Raghunahalli in Balaji Layout on Kanakapura main road, S. Sunil Kumar, 28, a resident of Waderahalli in Thalaghattapura and C. Mallikarjun, 37, native of Basavakalyana in Bidar. The three were arrested from Jayanagar after a group of women lodged a complaint with the C.K. Acchukattu police on October 24.
According to the police, the main accused Pradeep Kumar had work experience at a mico-finance company that worked with pro-governmental organisations procuring loans for middle class and lower class women for small-scale businesses. After leaving the job from the micro-finance company, Pradeep along with his two associates started STB Finance. They started interacting with cluster heads of the women self help groups. The trio then convinced the cluster heads that his company can help the women to start candle business.
They took Rs 1,341 per member for enrolling themselves into the scheme. The trio had told the women that they would supply raw materials and the final products (candles) also would be purchased from them and each of them can earn up to Rs 30,000 per month. Over a thousand women from different areas including Sheshadripuram, J.J. Nagar, K.P. Agrahara etc. enrolled into the scheme by paying the money which was came up to Rs 30 lakhs.
After the money was collected from the cluster heads, Pradeep and his two associates switched off their mobiles and fled the place. The women then approached the jurisdictional police and lodged a complaint of cheating. The police are in the process of recovering the money from the trio as Pradeep had spent a large amount of money giving away advance for a site that he was planning to purchase, said the police.
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