Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi

Udupi, Mar 8: With third accused in the Manipal fraud case Vishal Somanna still not apprehended, the police claim they are facing several roadblocks during investigation.

Somanna who is based in Dubai is employed as a pilot in Qatar Airways. A letter to UAE government seeking Somanna’s custody has not received any response, says DCP (central) D Devaraj.

He adds that Somanna continues being employed even though the police department informed Qatar airways about the fraud. “We got a response from the airline that they have informed Somanna about the case and asked him to appear before the police. They have not removed him from service,” says Devaraj adding that the cops have issued a lookout notice in all airports seeking his arrest.

Sandeep Gururaj 

Somanna’s sister Amrita Chengappa and mother Meera Chengappa along with Manipal group former finance head Sandeep Gururaj and his wife Charusmita were arrested on December 27, 2018 for siphoning Rs 62 crore from the Manipal Group accounts. It is alleged that the main accused Sandeep and Amrita had an illicit relationship.

Cubbon Park police inspector B Iyanna Reddy said that Sandeep had transferred Rs 52 crore to Somanna’s various accounts. Somanna’s mother Meera a joint holder of the accounts, rerouted the money back to Sandeep’s personal accounts.

Reddy states that several banks are not cooperating with the police and have denied freezing the accounts.

The investigations by the cops revealed that Somanna purchased 12 acre land in Madikeri from the siphoned money.

Somanna had filed an anticipatory bail, and said he will cooperate with investigations if granted bail. But the bail plea was rejected. The bail pleas of Amrita and Meera were also rejected and police say the main reason for it was Somanna had absconded.