The district-level action committee, which was constituted recently to legally fight the multi-crore investment fraud allegedly involving Hyderabad-based Heera Gold Exim Limited, has welcomed the decision of the police to go ahead with a Crime Branch (CB) probe into the incident.
Leaders of the action committee said it would be easy for CB to uncover the fraud as a large number of cheated investors had already handed over solid poof in support of the investigation.
“We sought a Crime Branch probe into the incident as around 200 people had fallen victim to the fraud scheme operated by the company. We have been fighting for a high-level investigation for more than five years after hearing similar stories from other locations in Kerala,” said action committee secretary N.K. Ismail. He alleged that the local police had failed to carry out the investigation in a satisfactory manner despite receiving several complaints. Mr. Ismail also claimed that the local police had been found rejecting demands from a few petitioners to register a fresh First Information Report on their complaints.
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The request of a complainant from Karaparamba who had recently approached the Chemmangadu police seeking registration of a case was turned down by the police with the claim that the investigation had been entrusted with the CB, he said.
The action committee leaders said more complainants would come up if the local police failed to register a fresh FIR. They added that the plan to organise more district-level protests against the police was dropped following the latter’s decision to go in for a CB probe.
It was in last October that the victims first approached the Chemmangadu police demanding a probe into the incident. In the preliminary investigation, it was found that Nowhera Shaikh, the accused woman, had mobilised big investment from several clients promising attractive monthly returns. According to the complainants, the company led by her had promised ₹3,200 a month for an investment of ₹1 lakh. After mobilising money, she closed down the gold business firm and left the district.
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