Daijiworld Media Network - Puttur (SP)

Puttur, Aug 5: Owner of Srivara Jewellers, Balakrishna Bhat, who closed down his shops in the town besides Sullia and Madikeri after collecting money from thousands of customers under monthly installment scheme, for which lottery draw was held every month. While thousands of customers, who feel cheated, are claiming their contributions back, it is gathered that Bhat is trying to hold some of his employees responsible for the fraud.

As per information, he seeks to pass on full responsibility for the misappropriation of money which occurred at his Madikeri branch on employees named Janardhan Naik and Padmanabha Naik, through another staff, Kishore. These two employees, who were working in the shop along with Bhat and his son, Varadesh at Madikeri, reportedly had remitted the amount collected to a person in Kasargod at the instructions of Balakrishna Bhat and a lady working in Puttur branch of the concern.

The policemen feel that Balakrishna Bhat and his children, Varadesh and Parimala, are trying to escape from the clutches of law by involving staff in the fraud. A lady employee working at Puttur branch, who appears to be an important player in this fraud, behaved as if she supports the police department, by extending wholehearted help to them in collecting documents about the dealings of the concern. Some former employees of this jewellery firm claimed that this lady had ensured that a few of the customers, who were hand-picked by her, got gold jewellery for the amount remitted by them.

Shortly, Madikeri police are expected to seek custody of Balakrishna Bhat and Varadesh, for investigating the alleged fraud there. Several affected customers from here feel that the police would be able to get to the bottom of the dealings if the above lady employee is treated as an accused and questioned. They plan to shortly send a complaint to the district superintendent of police, requesting him to take this step.