ED arrests woman accused of cheating rich professionals in Bengaluru by claiming political links

Gowda allegedly posed as the sister of Karnataka Congress leader D K Suresh and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar to gain access to wealthy doctors and businessmen. In the last year, the Bengaluru police booked her in four cases of cheating.

She is also accused of using police contacts to access the call detail records of one of her alleged victims – Vanitha Aithal, a jewellery store owner who has accused Gowda of taking gold and money worth over Rs 8 crore with the promise of high returns and then betraying her trust.

Apart from the jeweller, the others Gowda allegedly cheated include two doctors who run a plastic surgery centre, a maternity doctor, and a businessman’s family in Mandya.

Gowda allegedly posed as a wealthy real estate dealer to gain access to doctors, businessmen and politicians before targeting some of them for fraud, police sources said. She also allegedly used a suite at a luxury hotel in north Bengaluru to convey the impression of being very wealthy. “She had bodyguards and a fleet of luxury cars,” a police source said.

Congress MLA Vinay Kulkarni is one of the politicians alleged to have been associated with Gowda, and there are pictures in the public domain of their proximity. She allegedly gave him a luxury car, but Kulkarni has denied receiving any gifts from Gowda or association beyond an acquaintance. On Thursday, the ED conducted searches on premises belonging to Kulkarni as well in connection with the Gowda case.