Daijiworld Media Network - Kundapur (SP)

Kundapur, Mar 3: The four persons, who have been arrested by the police for misusing gold ornaments belonging to Goddess Mookambika Temple at Kollur, were remanded to judicial custody till March 8 by a court here, after they were produced before it on Wednesday March 2.

In the meanwhile, the eight-day police custody of prime accused, Shivaram Madiwala, who was arrested on February 23, will end on Thursday, and the police have to produce him in the court for further orders. The other accused, Gangadhar Hegde, Prasad Achar, Nagaraj Sheregar and Ganesh, who were ordered to be placed in judicial custody, were taken to the district prison at Hiriyadka.

The policemen said they have been interrogating eight more persons to whom gold ornaments had been handed over to raise loans by pledging them to ten banks and three cooperative societies in the town, Kollur as well as Gangolli. It is gathered that none of them have been officially arrested so far.

Relating to this major fraud, district deputy commissioner (DC), Dr Vishal R, is scheduled to visit Kollur temple on Thursday. The DC is expected to dismiss five employees arrested for their involvement with the fraud from services. Sources said that the DC may also initiate action against ten other employees of the temple who have been accused of dereliction of duty.