The police have registered a fresh cheating case against Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana (SNDP) Yogam general secretary Vellappally Natesan, his son and SNDP Yogam vice president Thushar Vellappally, and six others in connection with a microfinance scam.
The fresh case in the multi-crore scam is seen as a major jolt to the SNDP Yogam leadership as it is set to announce its political stance regarding the Chengannur Assembly bypoll in two days. According to the Chengannur police, the case has been registered as directed by a local court.
Serious irregularities
On Thursday, the Chengannur Judicial First Class Magistrate Court-1, acting on a petition filed by SNDP Yogam Samrakshana Samithi secretary Sudharshanan, directed the police to register an FIR against Mr. Natesan and others. The petitioner alleged financial irregularities to the tune of ₹1,54,98,400 in connection with a microfinance scheme in the Chengannur unit of the SNDP Yogam.
“As per the complaint, the amount was obtained fraudulently by the Chengannur unit through bank loans in the name of fake groups. The money was then handed over to Mr. Natesan and Mr. Thushar by the seventh accused. The case will be handed over to the Crime Branch for further investigation,” a police officer said.
The six other accused are SNDP Yogam director board member Ratheesh Kumar, SNDP Yogam Chengannur union president Anil P. Sreerangam, microfinance project coordinator K.K. Maheshan, SNDP Yogam Chengannur union secretary Sunil Valliyil, former SNDP Yogam Chengannur union secretary Anu C. Senan, and former SNDP Yogam Chengannur union president K. Santhosh Kumar.
The accused have been booked under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) Sections 120 (b) (criminal conspiracy), 406 (criminal breach of trust), 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property), 465 (forgery), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating), 471 (using as genuine a forged document or electronic record), 477 (fraudulent cancellation, destruction, etc., of will, authority to adopt, or valuable security) and 477 (a) (falsification of accounts).
In February 2016, the Chengannur police had registered a similar case against Mr. Natesan, Mr. Thushar and others.
Meanwhile, State Police Chief Loknath Behera on Thursday directed the Inspector General of Police (Crime Branch) S. Sreejith to monitor the probe in various microfinance cheating cases related to the Chengannur unit of the SNDP Union.
Natesan denies it
When contacted, Mr. Natesan denied any wrongdoing. “Some of the former SNDP Yogam office-bearers at Chengannur had engaged in misappropriation of funds in connivance with bank officials. Following this, we dissolved the unit and put it under the administrative control. I have nothing to do with the charges, but is still targeted for being the general secretary of the Yogam. The case is a move to malign my image,” he said.
