How a ‘successful businessman’ promised marriage and duped a Bengaluru engineer of Rs 1.53 crore

To bolster his credibility, Gowda allegedly told her about a 2019 Enforcement Directorate case against him, claiming his assets were frozen and that he owned properties worth Rs 715 crore. The two subsequently entered into a relationship and discussed marriage.

The alleged fraud began in April 2024, when Gowda claimed there were issues with his bank account, and asked for Rs 15,000 for an urgent matter. He later persuaded her to invest in multiple business ventures by promising high returns. Trusting him, she transferred Rs 1.53 crore through several transactions.

According to the FIR, the accused also introduced his father, Boregowda U J and a woman named Soumya, whom he claimed was his sister. He arranged a meeting near Kengeri Metro Station where the complainant met them, and reinforced the promise of marriage and business opportunities.

When Gowda repeatedly delayed returning the money, he allegedly shared fabricated court orders, claiming his accounts were frozen. Following this, the complainant’s family began investigating and discovered that Soumya was actually Gowda’s wife, and that the couple had been married for three years with one child.

The complainant alleged that Gowda had taken Rs 1.75 crore from her, of which he only returned Rs 22 lakh.

The police said the accused and his family are currently absconding. A case has been registered under Sections 61(2) (criminal conspiracy), 318(4) (cheating), 316(2) (criminal breach of trust), and 351(3) (criminal intimidation) of the BNS, and further investigation is underway.