ED arrests woman for defrauding Bengaluru’s elite by faking political connections: Report

Aishwarya Gowda was arrested on Thursday and presented before a special court, which remanded her to ED custody for a period of two weeks.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has taken into custody 33-year-old Aishwarya Gowda, accused of masterminding a series of elaborate scams targeting Karnataka’s elite, after she allegedly laundered over ₹20 crore through fraudulent schemes, Indian Express reported.

The Bengaluru police had earlier registered four separate cheating cases against her over the past year.

Gowda was arrested on Thursday and presented before a special court, which remanded her to ED custody for a period of two weeks for further investigation, the report further added.

According to officials, Gowda portrayed herself as the sister of prominent Congress leaders, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and MP DK Suresh, to gain the trust of affluent individuals, including doctors, business families, and jewellers.

The Bengaluru police had earlier registered four separate cheating cases against her over the past year.

Investigators allege that Gowda lured victims by promising exceptionally high returns on investments and leveraged her purported political links to create an aura of credibility.

Among those she allegedly defrauded is Vanitha Aithal, a jewellery store owner, who claims Gowda siphoned off gold and cash worth more than ₹8 crore under false promises of investment gains.

Probe details

According tot he publication, the ED’s probe has further revealed that Gowda allegedly misused police resources to access confidential call detail records (CDRs) of some of her victims, raising serious concerns about her influence and network within the system.

Besides Aithal, Gowda’s alleged victims include two doctors who operate a plastic surgery centre in Bengaluru, a maternity specialist, and a business family based in Mandya. To maintain her illusion of affluence, Gowda reportedly lived in a luxury suite at a five-star hotel in North Bengaluru and maintained a convoy of bodyguards and luxury cars, police sources said.

In a parallel development, Congress MLA Vinay Kulkarni’s name has surfaced in connection with Gowda. Photographs circulating publicly show Gowda and Kulkarni together, and it is alleged she gifted him a high-end vehicle. However, Kulkarni has denied receiving any gifts, insisting their association was limited to a casual acquaintance.

On Thursday, the ED also conducted searches at premises linked to Kulkarni as part of the ongoing investigation.