Sundara Subramanian

BANGALORE: The Central Crime Branch (CCB) has arrested K. Sundara Subramanian (42), a former employee of Kudremukh Iron Ore Company Ltd. (KIOCL), who allegedly cheated several people, mainly NRIs, of crores of rupees by promising them sites in Bangalore.

The police said Subramanian, who is commonly known as Maniyan, was a resident of Sadanandanagar on NGEF Main Road. He ran Farana Constructions, a real estate agency, on Church Street here, they said.

Claiming himself to be a close friend of the Chief Minister, he cheated several people of huge sums. The accused, who speaks fluent English and moves around in a high-end car, normally approached NRIs known to him or his relatives. He promised to get them a Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) site under the Chief Minister's discretionary quota.

He made the site aspirants address applications to the Chief Minister seeking allotment of BDA site under the discretionary quota. Along with the application, he collected huge amounts from them.Later, he gave them fake bank receipts/challans and fake site allotment/possession letters issued by the BDA or Deputy Secretary, Urban Development, Government of Karnataka, the police said.

When the "purchasers" later approached the BDA or the department concerned for obtaining licence for constructing a building, they learnt that they were never allotted sites and the possession certificates with them were fake, the police said.

When the victims approached Subramanian, he assured them that he would speak to higher authorities and set things right. Investigation revealed that Subramanian had taken money and issued fake allotment letters even in the name of Karnataka Housing Board, Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board and Urban Land Ceiling Authority, the police said.

Assistant Commissioner of Police (CCB) B.K. Shivaram said Subramanian was arrested following a complaint by Subramanyan of Kumbakonam with the Jeevanbimanagar police that the accused had taken Rs. 37 lakh from him and issued him fake letters allotting sites in Koramangala and Indiranagar.

He had also taken Rs. 1.20 crore from Subhash Sharma and issued him fake documents pertaining to sites in Indiranagar, RMV Extension, Sarakki and Sadashivanagar, the police said.

Chandrashekar of Mumbai, who lost Rs. 60 lakh, was issued fake allotment letters for five BDA sites. Somashekar, managing director of Fitwell Tools Company, was duped of Rs. 8 lakh, the police said.

What has come out so far is only a tip of the iceberg. The accused is suspected to have cheated several people of nearly Rs. 25 crore, Mr. Shivaram said.

The police are on the lookout for Subramanian's estranged wife, Radha, who allegedly made away with lakhs of rupees from the site aspirants. People who have been cheated by Subramanian can approach the CCB or the Jeevanbimanagar police station for help, the police said.

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