Secretary extorts Rs 4.76 crore from Karadka Agriculturist Welfare Cooperative Society ruled by CPM; non-bailable case registered

KASARAGOD: Police have registered a case against the secretary under the non-bailable section on a complaint of extorting Rs 4.76 crore from Karadka Agriculturist Welfare Cooperative Society of Mulleria, which is controlled by CPM. Adoor police registered a case against secretary K Ratheesh of Karmamthodi on the complaint of society president K Soupy of Bellur Kinningar.

Ratheesh was not coming to the society for the last one week. No application for leave was made. The President contacted him on the phone and asked him to take a compulsory leave, but Ratheesh refused. Suspicious of the secretary's conduct, the president asked the assistant registrar to inspect the institution. The investigation conducted by the officers of the Cooperative Department revealed that money had been extorted. It was also proved that the amount was taken in the name of gold pledging.

The money was extorted by forging documents that gold was pledged by several people. The society started its activities 10 years ago with Karadka and Bellur Panchayats as its operational limits. It is reported that the secretary told some people that he would pay back the entire amount within a week. Ratheesh is also a member of the CPM Mulleria local committee. It is indicated that the investigation will soon be handed over to the Crime Branch.

CCTV footage of gold being shifted

Footage of gold being shifted from the society's strong room was found on CCTV. The strong room was opened and the gold and documents were shifted in on May 9. This was caught on CCTV. The accused, who came to the society when there were only women employees, took a document, signed and sealed it and asked to take it to another bank. At this time accused took the key and opened the strong room. Suspicion has been strengthened as to why the secretary shifted gold apart from embezzling money. It is also suspected that he used fake gold to take loans.