Cops nab fraudster who leased house to 22 people in Bengaluru

Bengaluru: The Hebbal police have arrested a fraudster named N Girish, who had advertised on the No Broker app that he would lease a house and received more than Rs 1 crore in ad-vance from 22 people.

The accused Girish originally from Malavalli in Mandya district was married to Deepa of Cholanagar Second Main Road near R.T. Nagar in Bengaluru. He was unemployed and settled in his wife’s house in Cholanagar. The police said that the accused had adver-tised on the No Broker app that he would lease a house on the first floor of the same house.

Those who saw the advertisement had called and contacted Girish. The accused then showed the house to all the callers and took advance money of Rs 10 to 15 lakh from each of them. When the callers asked them to vacate the house, the accused lied by saying that the house was being renovated, that there was a financial problem with the current tenants and that he would give the keys after the current tenants vacated.

Some of the people who had given advance money had come to Girish’s house and had a fight. The accused returned a small amount of money to them. They had been running around for years to get their outstanding money. Tired of wandering around his house for money, they filed a complaint. The complainants have alleged that Girish’s wife Deepa, sister-in-law Sarita and Roopa were also involved in the fraud. The police have informed that a case has been registered against the four for cheating, criminal conspiracy, intimi-dation and abuse.

Girish, a graduate, had made cheating his profession. The investigation revealed that the accused had cheated around 22 people, and 11 people have filed complaints so far. The accused had received Rs 1.9 crore in advance, of which he has returned Rs 55 lakh. The court remanded the accused in judicial custody and sent him to jail, senior offi-cials said.

When the people who had given the advance money asked for their money back, ac-cused Girish had given cheque to some people. He had forged signatures on bank cheques in the names of his wife and sister in law and given cheques in the wrong name.

The cheques bounced because there was no money in the bank account. The officials said that Deepa, Sarita and Roopa were accused of playing a role in the fraud and further investigation is underway.

Despite Girish’s arrest, the people who were cheated have not received the money. Therefore, they have decided to file a complaint with the CCB to return the money.