Karnataka farmers duped by fake NABARAD officers
- More than 25 farmers of Haveri district were said to have been cheated.
- The fraudsters have collected ₹20,000 to ₹25,000 from each farmer.
FollowThese fake officials are said to have assured farmers of agro-requirements like tractors, tillers, crop cutting machines, pump sets, and other such implements at 50% subsidised rates.
More than 25 farmers of Shiggaon, Savanur taluk of Haveri district were said to have been cheated, as the miscreants have collected ₹20,000 to ₹25,000 from each farmer in the form of DD and amassed a sum of ₹5 lakh and have disappeared.
The miscreants have visited the villages under the guise of NABARD (National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development) officials and told farmers that they have come to do some preliminary survey before providing assistance to farmers in procuring their necessities at subsidised rates.
After that, they made a list of farmers requirements and earned their confidence. Since they did not want to create any suspicion among farmers, they insisted the amount only in DD form. Gullible farmers readily believed their version and gave up the money, hoping to get tools at a lower price.
As the so-called ‘bank officials’ did not return even after a month, villagers got scared and subsequently met NABARD staff members and various people’s representatives and told about the incident. Now a case has been registered at Shiggaon police station in this regard.
Based on details entered in DD, a preliminary investigation has been done, and some bank accounts are said to have opened in names of some persons in Kolar and Chickballapur districts.
NABARD does not collect any amount from any individual, and as such, the bank has not appointed any person or agency to do so. The public should not get lured into fraudsters talk and neither any personal information nor money should be given to anyone, said M N Vidya Ganesh, DDM, NABARD, Haveri.
