Bengaluru: A case has been registered at Rajarajeshwari Nagar Police Station against five individuals accused of cheating television artistes by promising residential plots and collecting money under false pretenses.
According to the complaint filed by Karnataka Television Association (KTVA) member Bhavana Belagere, the accused have been identified as S. Bhagiratha of ASB Developers and Promoters, and KTVA plot committee members Sanjeev Tagadooru, M. Guruprasad, N. Ravindra, and A.N. Umakanth.
In her complaint, Belagere stated that members of the Karnataka Television Association had formed a housing committee to facilitate site purchases for small-screen artistes. “Trusting the words of committee members Sanjeev Tagadooru, Ravindra, Umakanth, and Guruprasad, I, along with T.L. Sharath Chandra and T.L. Rahul, invested money with ASB Developers during 2012–13 to buy plots,” she said.
The complainant further alleged that in 2015, Bhagiratha claimed to have executed registered sale deeds for plots located in Tavarekere village, Bengaluru South taluk, through the Sub-Registrar’s office at Rajarajeshwari Nagar.
However, when members later contacted the company to transfer the property records to their names, the accused went missing. Upon verification with government departments, the investors discovered that no valid registration or ownership records existed for the said plots.
The complaint further stated that the accused had misused approximately Rs 1.6 crore collected from KTVA members, and had fabricated fake layouts and documents to deceive buyers. “They collected money from 139 members under the pretext of selling plots and misappropriated the funds,” the complaint added, urging police to take strict legal action against the accused.
Police have registered a case of criminal breach of trust, cheating, and forgery under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code. An investigation has been initiated by the Rajarajeshwari Nagar Police to trace the accused and verify the authenticity of the documents produced by ASB Developers.
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