Puttur: Baddi Babanna Surrenders to Policemen
Daijiworld Media Network – Puttur (SP)
Puttur, Nov 21: Putting an end to speculations that he had fled abroad, and also about he having been sighted in several parts of Kerala, Hunsur near Mysore etc., and as if to put to rest the efforts of the cheated men to follow the movement of his Airtel mobile phone, and to salvage his reputation damged due to his overnight disappearance, Baddi Babanna from Bettampady near here, who reportedly had collected over two crore rupees from the people as deposit, by promising high rates of interest, surrendered before the policemen on Friday November 20.
However, his reputation of being the ‘most trusted man’ of the region, has already suffered irreparable damage. People lent money to him in lacs, without even bothering to get any written record of such deposits, over the last few years. But, during the short period he was absent from the scene, rumours spread like wild fire. He had gone absconding on November 9, and rumours about his alleged private affairs had also become talk of the town.
It is learnt that Babanna had contacted a businessmen from near Puttur through his wife and brother-in-law, seeking the latter’s help in surrendering to the policemen. He reportedly arrived at the house of the said businessman on Friday, following which he surrendered before the rural police station, reliable sources said. The policemen are yet to confirm this information. Some sources also claim that Babanna was found near Nelyady and kept in the house of the said businessmen for a couple of days before the surrender.
Only upon the completion of the police investigation, it can be ascertained as to whether the amount claimed to have been duped by Babanna, was close to reality. Reportedly, the policemen, who had visited his home, had found neither any cash nor any account books.
It is being claimed that his own brother-in-law had withdrawn one lac rupees, kept as fixed deposit in a cooperative bank, and given the money to Baddi Babanna on November 7 as deposit, just two days before his short-lived escape.