Karnataka: Scammers offer Christian institute members with juice laced with drugs, steal Rs 1 crore in Mandya

By Vinaykumar Patil | First Published Jan 23, 2024, 3:49 PM IST

The Shalom Education Trust in Shinshapur, Mandya District, suffered a financial setback of Rs 1 crore after falling victim to a fraudulent scheme. An individual named Surya, posing as a benefactor, deceived the trust into depositing money for a promised Rs 25 crore donation. Surya vanished after serving juice that caused trust members to faint, and the prepared Rs 1 crore went missing. A police complaint has been filed, and an investigation is underway.

The Shalom Education Trust in Shinshapur, Mandya District has faced a major financial setback as it fell prey to a fraudulent scheme, losing a substantial sum of Rs 1 crore. The incident unfolded when a person associated with the trust was duped under the pretext of receiving a generous donation from the educational institution.

Last year, Maryn Pinto, hailing from Mangalore, took the initiative to establish the Shalom Education Trust in Shinshapur, Malavalli Taluk, Mandya District. The trust, under the leadership of Maryn as the president, aimed to contribute to the field of education in the region. However, what seemed like a promising venture took an unfortunate turn when a seemingly benevolent individual, referred by a Swamiji associated with the institution, turned out to be a fraudster.

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The individual, identified as Surya, gained the trust of the Swamiji and offered financial assistance to the Shalom Trust, claiming to arrange a substantial donation of Rs 25 crore. However, the assistance came with a deceitful twist – Surya demanded Rs 1 crore in return for the purported donation.

Trusting in the words of Surya, Maryn Pinto and other staff members diligently worked towards arranging the requested amount. The trust mobilized funds by depositing 15 lakhs into the trust account and securing a loan of 1.10 crores from various businessmen in Bangalore, Mangalore, and other locations. The money was then prepared and kept at Maryn's residence as instructed.

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On January 20, Surya, accompanied by high expectations and a bag claiming to hold Rs 25 crores, visited Maryn's residence. The trust members were taken aback when Surya handed them juice during a gathering to celebrate the purported donation. Shockingly, everyone who consumed the juice fainted, only to wake up hours later and discover the disappearance of the prepared Rs 1 crore.

Upon regaining consciousness, Maryn Pinto filed a complaint with the local Belakwadi police station, alleging fraud and detailing the entire incident. The police promptly registered a case and initiated an investigation, led by Malavalli DySP P. Krishnappa, to trace and apprehend the fraudster.

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