Civil police officer cheats friends of over Rs 1.5 crore, faces 2 cases

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala police on Sunday said they have registered two cases of cheating against a civil police officer in Palakkad district for allegedly duping his friends for over Rs 1.5 crore.

On November 10, police in Thiruvananthapuram registered a case against Ravi Shankar on the basis of a complaint filed by one of his friends, saying he collected over Rs 49 lakh during June-December 2020 and that he would invest in the share market and offer high returns.

“Similarly, another case was registered at Pangode in the district on November 14, saying he duped a man of Rs 1.25 crore,” the police told PTI.

The cases under provisions of the Indian Penal Code, including section 406 (criminal breach of trust) and 420 (Cheating) were registered, they said.

The police said the accused has moved the High Court seeking anticipatory bail.

Sources said the policeman used to invest in share market and gain high returns and later started making his friends invest in the same.

Shankar, who is on leave, has not been apprehended yet, said the police.