Bengaluru: Right-wing activist, six others sent to judicial custody till October 6

Hindutva activist Chaitra Kundapur and six others accused in a cash-for-ticket scam were sent to judicial custody till October 6 by a court in Bengaluru. Police have recovered a significant amount of money and assets from the accused. Kundapur and the others were arrested on charges of cheating a businessman by promising him a BJP ticket. Kundapur is also facing charges in other cheating cases.

Hindutva activist Chaitra Kundapur and six other accused in the alleged cash-for-ticket scam were sent to judicial custody till October 6 by an Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) court on Saturday, officials familiar with the matter said on Sunday.

The police arrested Chaitra Kundapur and six others on September 12 on charges of cheating a 44-year-old businessman (HT Photo)

The development comes after the police custody of Kundapur and others, who were arrested by the Central Crime Branch (CCB) police in connection with the cheating case, ended on Saturday.

They CCB police on Saturday, produced Chaitra Kundapur, and other accused before the third ACMM court in Bengaluru. The police told the court that they have already recovered around 80% of the duped money, and there was no need for an extension of police custody.

According to CCB police, the officials have recovered ₹80 lakh cash, jewellery worth ₹23 lakh, ₹1.08 crore money from the bank, and a KIA car worth ₹12 lakh owned by Chaitra. They have also seized ₹26 lakh from the accused Gagan Kadur and Danarash Ramesh.

Halashree will remain in police custody till September 29, a CCB official in the know of the developments said. The seer will remain in police custody for another six days.

The police arrested Kundapur and six others on September 12 on charges of cheating a 44-year-old businessman, Govind Babu Pujari, by falsely promising him a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ticket to contest the assembly elections from Byndoor in Udupi district.

Pujari had filed a complaint at Bandepalya police station in Bengaluru on September 8 against eight people, including Kundapur, accusing them of extorting money from him.

Meanwhile, the Kota police in Udupi district filed their submission before the city court seeking the custody of Kundapur in another cheating case. The accused had allegedly taken ₹5 lakh from a fisherman, promising to help him set up two cloth shops in Kota and Udupi. When he pressed regarding the progress, Kundapur allegedly threatened him to file a false sexual assault case against him and sent death threats to him.

Another cheating case has been filed against Halashree based on a complaint by former Panchayat Development Officer (PDO) Sanjay Chavadal of the Ranathur Gram Panchayat in Shirahatti taluk of Gadag district.

In his complaint, Chavadal, alleged he had paid the seer ₹1 crore to get him a BJP ticket from Shirahatti constituency for the recent Assembly election.