Date:16/04/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/04/16/stories/2005041616300300.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Woman held on charge of cheating

Our Staff Reporter

BANGALORE: The Sanjaynagar police on Friday arrested Poornima (39), wife of a top Customs official, on charges of cheating a Malaysian national by forging his signature.

The police said Maharathan, a Malaysian of Indian origin, had set up an ozone therapy clinic on New BEL Road some time ago. He had taken on rent a house owned by Poornima, wife of Chandrashekar, a top ranking Customs official, in Sanjaynagar.

The police said Maharathan had paid an advance of Rs. 3 lakhs to her. He had got air-conditioners and other gadgets worth lakhs of rupees fitted to the house after taking it on rent.

Maharathan lodged a complaint at the Sanjaynagar police station that when he had been to Malaysia, the owner had got the house rent agreement terminated by allegedly forging his signature and was not allowing him to take away his air-conditioners and other gadgets from the house, the police said. Experts at Forensic Science Laboratory, after verifying the document, confirmed that Maharathna's signature had been forged, the police said. Chandrashekar has also been named an accused in the case, the police said.