Half price scam of 1000 crores: 4000 complaints received and expected to cross 10,000; ED to investigate

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: About 4,000 complaints have been received so far in the scam where scooter, laptop, sewing machine, etc. were offered at half the price. 70 cases have been registered in various police stations. The number of complaints is expected to cross 10,000 as more victims of the scam come forward. ADGP Manoj Abraham, who is in charge of law and order, told 'Kerala Kaumudi' that the investigation will be handed over to the Crime Branch within two days.

The arrested main accused Ananthu Krishnan is said to have made transactions of more than Rs 450 crore through 19 bank accounts. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) will investigate this. The ED will investigate whether money was transferred abroad and black money transactions. The accounts were frozen by the police.

It was also found that Ananthu Krishnan had purchased land worth crores in Karnataka in the names of his family members and in his own name. The police are moving to seize these. Ananthu Krishnan had used political, administrative and social elites as a cover to commit fraud across the state.

Ananthu Krishnan promised to provide scooters at half price by making available the CSR fund of the companies. The fraud was committed by taking half price in advance. The beneficiaries were identified by including Kudumbashree units and charitable societies in the project under the leadership of the National NGO Confederation consisting of 200 organizations. Retired High Court judge CN Ramachandran Nair was made the advisor of the project to gain credibility.

An institute was created in the name of Sardar Patel also. Most of the fraud took place in Kannur, Idukki, Ernakulam Rural and Kozhikode. The companies that provided funds and the vehicle and laptop manufacturers were cheated. The police are moving to question Ananthu in custody. Congress leader Laly Vincent and Saigram Executive Director Anandakumar, who collaborated with the project, have been made accused in the fraud case.

Fraud strategy

• Money was taken by misrepresenting it as the Kudumbashree project. For this, public representatives were put in front. Some people were given laptops at first to gain trust.
• Half of the price should be paid immediately. The entire money should be transferred to the accounts of Ananthu's various companies and societies.

Speaker, entrepreneur; many disguises

Ananthu Krishnan, a native of Thodupuzha, had taken classes on mushroom cultivation when he was studying in the 10th standard. Later, he disguised himself as a speaker and entrepreneur. He initially worked in Bharat Sevak Samaj. Later, he started a voluntary organization called Dr. Kalam Youth Foundation. He can speak English fluently. Ananthu Krishnan was born into an ordinary family. His father was a wage laborer and his mother was a temporary employee at Maveli Store.