Hindutva activist held for duping businessman of Rs 5 cr

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: The Central Crime Branch (CCB) squads in the city have apprehended Chaitra Kundapura, a prominent Hindutva activist, in connection with a multi-crore fraud case.

According to sources, she was arrested on Tuesday evening from Krishna Mutt in Udupi. Kundapura, along with seven others, is accused of defrauding a native of Byndoor, Govind Babu Poojary, who runs a catering business in Bengaluru, of Rs 5 crore by promising him a BJP ticket for the 2023 state assembly elections.

In Babu's complaint filed at the Bandepalya Police Station in Bengaluru, he alleged that Prasad Byndoor, one of the accused, introduced him to Chaitra Kundapura in 2022, portraying her as a Hindutva volunteer.

Chaitra then convinced him to contest elections from Byndoor and assured him of securing a ticket, citing her influential connections in Delhi. She facilitated Babu's contact with BJP Yuva Morcha General Secretary Gagan Kadur, who is named as accused number 2 in the case.

Kadur, in turn, introduced Babu to another RSS worker named Vishwanathji. In July 2022, Babu allegedly paid Rs 50 lakh in advance to Vishwanathji.

Chaitra Kundapura and others also introduced Babu to Abhinava Halashree Swamiji, accused number 3, of Samsthana Matha at Hire Hadagali in Hospet, who received Rs 1.5 crore from Babu after promising the BJP ticket.

Later, Babu met an individual claiming to be 'Naik' (accused number 5) and asserting membership in the BJP central election committee in Bengaluru. 'Naik' confirmed the allotment of a ticket to Babu, who then paid the remaining Rs 3 crore on October 29, 2022.

However, it was subsequently discovered that 'Naik' was a street vendor in KR Puram, Bengaluru. Ultimately, it became evident that the people Babu had interacted with and paid money to were impersonators arranged by Chaitra Kundapura and other accused.

Realizing that he had been duped, Babu approached the Bandepalya police in Bengaluru. The CCB police are now investigating multiple charges against Chaitra Kundapura and the other accused, including criminal breach of trust, impersonation, cheating, and criminal intimidation.

Chaitra Kundapura is well-known among rightwing activists and Hindutva followers. She has previously faced FIRs for delivering hate speeches.

Seer goes absconding

Following the arrest of Chaitra Kundapur by CCB officials, a seer from Ballari, Abhinav Halasri of Halu Mutt in Hirehadagali, has reportedly gone missing.

Abhinav Halasri is listed as accused number 3 in the fraud case. Sources in Hirehadagali said that the seer did not make an appearance at the Mutt on Wednesday and has turned off his phone since the arrests of Chaitra and three of her associates.

In the latest development, the Bengaluru police presented Chaitra, Gagan Kadur, Shrikanth Naik, and Prasad Byandur before the court on Wednesday.