Kerala man promises Rs 25 crore to Powai trust but dupes it of Rs 5.5 crore, booked

As per the police complaint, in September 2018, when the complainant was at his Powai home, Prabhakaran called him on his phone and told him that his organisation, Muthalamada Charitable Trust, acknowledges and honours good work and give an award for the same.

“He allegedly told Madhavan that his organisation wished to give an award to Madhavan and his organisation for their good work of building houses for flood-affected people in Kerala. Prabhakar also told him that a donation of Rs 25 crore would also be given. Madhavan was invited to come to Kerala for the award,” states the complaint.

Madhavan was felicitated at the award ceremony, and his Warrier Foundation was given the award at the hands of a former ISRO chief. Prabhakar also gave a cheque of Rs 25 crore to the complainant and won his trust, police source said.

However, before the complainant could deposit the cheque in the bank, the accused told him that his organisation has some old outstanding obligations with the bank, and until they are cleared, the Rs 25 crore cheque cannot be processed.

Under this pretext, the accused allegedly accepted Rs 5.5 crore in two installments between October and November 2018.

This money was sent from the Warrier Foundation’s account and Madhavan’s savings account to the accounts of Muthalmada Charitable Trust and Parabhakaran, the complaint states.

The complainant paid the amount trusting them, but was defrauded as his organisation never got the Rs 25 crore.

When Madhavan requested the accused person and his organisation to return the money, they have failed to do so till date, said a officer.

After a long follow-up with the accused, the complainant finally approached the police. Powai police booked Prabhakaran on Sunday under sections 406 (criminal breach of trust) and 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code and initiated investigation.

Police sources said that all this while the accused Prabhakaran was giving one cheque after another to the complainant and was buying time. Madhavan then returned his Rs 25 crore cheque to him and demanded Rs 5.5 crore back. Prabhakaran gave two cheques having total value of Rs 5.50 crore, but both got dishonored due to insufficient funds in the bank account. Following this when Madhavan believed that Prabhakaran has no intention of returning the money he approached the Powai police and filed a cheating complaint.

Madhavan was not available for comment, while calls and messages sent to Swami Sunildas Prabhakaran did not elicit any response.

Prabhakaran also told him that a donation of Rs 25 crore would also be given. Madhavan was invited to come to Kerala for the award,” states the complaint.

Madhavan was felicitated at the award ceremony, and his Warrier Foundation was given the award at the hands of a former ISRO chief. Prabhakaran also gave a cheque of Rs 25 crore to the complainant and won his trust, police source said.

A representative of the Kerala trust said they had initiated a settlement process seven months ago. “We have already agreed to hand over two and a half acres of land to the Warrier Foundation as part of the settlement. However, the land value would not meet the liability of Rs 5.5 crore. We are ready to hand over more land to the foundation to settle the issue. But, we don’t know why they have filed a police complaint when negotiations are still going on. The allegations in the complaint with regard to the award are baseless,” said the spokesperson of the trust.