Thiruvananthapuram, India – The CBI, the country’s top investigative agency, has filed criminal charges against two men from Kerala and two state police officers in a fraud case involving a bogus automobile dealership deal. The case is now before the Thiruvananthapuram court.
The Central Bureau of Investigation registered a First Information Report (FIR) on Friday, following an order from the Kerala High Court. The complainant, Jyolsna Binu, a resident of Karakkad Village in Chengannur, Alappuzha, claims she and her husband lost Rs 27.5 lakh to fraudsters named Soni P Bhaskar and M.K. Varadarajan, both from Pathanamthitta.
How the scam worked
According to the CBI, Bhaskar posed as the manager and Varadarajan as the legal advisor of a partnership called ESSEN Bankers. They persuaded Binu to invest money with the promise of a lucrative automobile dealership. The investors were to appoint Binu’s husband as Managing Director of the proposed business.
Binu says the two collected Rs 27.5 lakh from her in separate payments between 2003 and 2007. She paid through two cheques of Rs 3.5 lakh each and cash of Rs 20.5 lakh. After receiving the money, the men failed to deliver the dealership or refund her funds.
Evidence tampering and police involvement
The FIR also accuses two police officers—Detective Inspector A Abhilash and Detective Sub‑Inspector Krishnakumar—of destroying evidence in the case. The complaint highlights that the officers allegedly altered the investigative record to cover up the fraud. The CBI has charged the two officers under Indian Penal Code Section 201 for causing the disappearance of evidence.
The High Court had earlier questioned the police’s statements about recovering two cheque copies from the State Bank of Travancore in Chengannur. Binu claims the police withheld these crucial pieces of evidence, which later appeared missing. She argued that the missing cheques were deliberately destroyed to protect the accused.
Next steps
The CBI has sent the FIR to the Chief Judicial Magistrate in Thiruvananthapuram for prosecution. Both the fraudsters and the police officers are now formally accused of cheating, conspiracy, and evidence destruction.
Lawmakers and civil society have urged a swift investigation, urging authorities to protect victims of financial scams. If you’re in Kerala and have faced similar fraudulent investment schemes, legal counsel and support may be available through local NGOs and the legal aid office.
Source: ianslive
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