Mangalore: Conman who Used Pension as Bait Lands in Police Net
Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (BG)
Mangalore, Oct 10: Talk of pension giving tension. In this case, 'pension' brought tension not only to the seven persons who became victims of a conman, but to the conman himself who used it as a bait to lure them.
Bunder police on Wednesday October 10 arrested Gilbert John Vas alias Gilbert (47), resident of Manchi Kolnad, Bantwal, who is accused of looting elderly people in the name of pension.
It is learnt that he allegedly cheated seven people. Several cases were registered against him - one each in Pandeshwar and Kadri police stations, and five cases in Bunder police station.
Valerian D’Souza Tannir Bavi, Juliana D’Souza Padil, Theresa Norohna Hoigebazar, Sesamma Kanchila, Bantwal, Veronica D’Souza, Neermarga, Lousie D’Souza Padua and Leelavathi Gurpur are said to be his vicitms.
It is learnt that the accused looted them by making false promises of providing pensions. He would take them to unknown places and ask them to remove all their valuables and keep them in a bag, telling them that they would not avail pension if they were found with the valuables. The gullible victims would do as he instructed, only to realize later that he had robbed and cheated them. He would even charge them for the application.
On May 2, he played the same trick on Valerian. He escaped with Rs 1,800 in cash, a chain, a ring and a dual sim mobile phone, which was switched off. When he turned on the phone the police tracked him down and arrested him.
Police have recovered 102 grams of gold from him. It is learnt that the accused used to sell the looted gold to Sona Bankers at a lower price.
A case has also been registered against Robert Castelino, owner of Sona Bankers.