Kalaburagi: A journalist has been arrested for allegedly cheating Rs 8.5 lakh to a police sub-inspector (PSI) working with District Crime Branch (DCB) in the name of Kalaburagi Superintendent of Police Simi Mariam George. Police also seized a ford Fortuner car, three mobile phones and cash worth Rs 2 lakh from the accused.
Victim Manjunath Hoogara lodged a complaint with the police and stated Qasim Patel befriended him when he was working in Jevargi police station.
Hoogara in his complaint said, "Qasim showed me a few pictures of him with senior police officers and politicians and made me believe that he would be able to solve any problem with the help of influential connections."
Manjunath Hoogara was suspended from the post of Sub-Inspector of Jevargi police station in connection with the death of a girl at the time of Gram Panchayat elections. Currently, he is serving as District Crime Division officer.
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"Qasim gave me a number and told me that it is the contact number of District Superintendent of Police Simi Mariam George. He told me not to share the contact details with anyone and told me to share only WhatsApp messages on this number," the complainant said.
"The number had a display picture of Simi Mariam George. I received a WhatsApp message that money is required urgently. Believing it to be District Superintendent of Police, I sent Rs 2,50,000 first and Rs 6,00,00 later. I received a WhatsApp call on February 3 in the evening and grew suspicious as I heard a woman speaking Urdu mixed Hindi language."
Manjunath met the superintendent of police and informed her about the incident. The SP clarified she doesn't have such mobile number and has not messaged anything.
Police said that the accused Qasim Patel is a digital journalist and was arrested near Chigaralli Cross in Jevargi Taluk on the basis of the complaint filed by Manjunath Hoogara.
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