Half Price Scam in Kerala: Crime Branch takes over probe, accused admits funds exhausted

Kerala's Director General of Police (DGP) has transferred the "half-price scam" case to the Crime Branch, handing over 34 registered cases from multiple districts. Investigation teams, led by DySPs, will oversee the probe.

Thiruvananthapuram: The Director General of Police (DGP) has issued an order transferring the "half-price scam" case to the Crime Branch. A total of 34 registered cases from Kottayam, Alappuzha, Idukki, Ernakulam Rural, and Kannur City have been handed over to the Crime Branch. Any additional cases registered by local police will also be transferred. Investigation teams, led by a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP) in each district, will handle the probe.

The main accused, Ananthu Krishna, confessed to the police that the crores he obtained through the scam had already been spent. He claimed that the money was used to purchase the promised devices and make payments to some people. According to his statement, only Rs 10 lakh remains in his accounts. The police will include his confession in their report. As his custody period ends today, he will be presented before the Muvattupuzha court.

In Thiruvananthapuram district alone, 960 scooters were supposed to be delivered. Venganoor Panchayat President Sreekumar stated that he joined the National NGO Confederation trusting Anand Kumar. Sreekumar was also the president of Sukrutham, a charitable organization. According to him, Anand Kumar was the one who invited all the district-level organizations to join the scheme.

Ananthu Krishna was introduced at a state-level meeting. Initially, 32 scooters were delivered, and payments were made for 125 more. Out of these, only 59 were provided, leaving 66 scooters undelivered in Venganoor Panchayat alone. Sreekumar told Asianet News that the scam was carried out under the guise of the "Women on Wheels" initiative.

A large-scale fraudulent scheme offering scooters, laptops, and home appliances at half price has been exposed, with thousands falling victim to the scam. The operation was orchestrated by 26-year-old Ananthu Krishna from Kerala under the guise of the National NGO Confederation. Police sources confirmed his arrest last week, uncovering what is now considered a multi-crore fraud.

Founded in 2022, the confederation brought together around 170 local NGOs, allegedly aiming to secure corporate social responsibility (CSR) funds from companies to subsidize product costs for scheme participants. However, investigations indicate that the entire initiative was a financial scam.

Ernakulam Rural Police apprehended Ananthu Krishna after receiving multiple complaints from those who had signed up. Following his arrest, police stations across Kerala, particularly in the northern districts, have been flooded with similar grievances, with a significant number of victims being women.