Mangaluru: Man cheated of Rs 40 lakh with village accountant's job offer

Mangaluru: A Hassan man has lodged a complaint with CEN police station here accusing four persons of cheating him to the tune of Rs 40 lakh on the pretext of landing the village accountant job for his son.

The complaint, filed by Krishna Gowda names Nagabhushan from Bengaluru, Narayana Swamy from Vamanjoor in Mangaluru, Mahesh Bhat from Mulki near Mangaluru and Dinesh from Moodbidre as the accused. They have been booked under various IPC sections, including 420 (cheating) and 465 (forgery).

The complainant’s son Darshan had reportedly applied for a village account job along with three of his friends — Hemavathi from Hassan, Lohith from Chikkamagauru and Mohammad Sharif from Bengaluru — with whom he became acquainted at a coaching centre in Bengaluru. Sharif knew Mahesh Bhat as he used to visit his neighbour’s house and had reportedly told him that they had applied for the VA’s job.

Bhat meanwhile claimed that he could help them secure the job through Narayanaswamy, who he said was a CBI officer having contacts with top officials and politicians. A meeting was then arranged at Bhat’s house in 2019 and the four VA aspirants were asked to pay Rs 40 lakh each.

Narayanaswamy said that he would speak to Nagabhushan and Dinesh and if the candidates are willing to pay the amount he would be able to get them the job.

Based on his assurance, Darshan paid an amount of Rs 8 lakh initially and the balance Rs 32 lakh in 2021 when he was shown a fake appointment letter which he presumed to be true. When he realised that the appointment letter was a fake one he began enquiring for the original appointment letter. As the accused were giving excuses, Krishna Gowda confronted them over the phone, but they threatened to kill them.