Actor’s friend in Mysuru blackmailed by woman who posed as a Bank Manager

Mysore/Mysuru: A case has been booked at Hebbal Police Station alleging that attempts had been made to obtain a loan fraudulently by forging the property documents of Sandalwood actor ‘Challenging Star’ Darshan.

The complaint was filed on July 3 by Harsha Melantha, who is Darshan’s friend, against three persons including Aruna Kumari, a Bengaluru-based woman who claimed to be a Bank Manager, Madhukeshava and Nandeesh.

The trio allegedly blackmailed two businessmen using the forged documents. Producer Umapathi, who is also the actor’s confidante, said that he had also lodged a complaint of cheating in this particular case at Jayanagar Police Station in Bengaluru. 

Last evening, Darshan, accompanied by Umapathi, gave their statements to the Police at the Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Narasimharaja Sub-Division.

Darshan’s friend Harsha Melantha runs ‘Mysore Union Club’ at Hebbal. On June 16, producer Umapathi called Harsha and asked him whether Darshan had given his property documents to Canara Bank at Southend Circle to obtain a loan of Rs. 25 crore. 

A planned con job

In his complaint, Harsha said that Umapathi told him that Aruna Kumari, claimed to be the Manager of the Bank, had given him the details. Umapathi then shared Aruna Kumari’s phone number. Harsha called Aruna Kumari and the latter told him that the property papers were indeed submitted to the Bank for a loan of Rs. 25 crore and she was coming to Mysuru to see the land and asked Harsha to meet her at Hebbal Ring Road. 

As per plan, Harsha met Aruna Kumari along with Zilla Panchayat Member Rakesh Papanna, who is also Darshan’s friend. Aruna Kumari produced the copies of the loan application purportedly filed by Harsha in the name of Darshan and also the copies of the actor’s property papers. 

“Seeing the documents, I denied that I had applied for any loan. But Aruna Kumari insisted that I had indeed applied and threatened me by saying that I had forged Darshan’s property papers to obtain the hefty loan and blackmailed me that she would book a Police complaint and also draw media attention on me for cheating,” Harsha stated in his complaint.

Threat to expose

After the threat, Harsha asked Aruna Kumari if there was a way to get out of the case. “That’s when she told me that I could pay Rs. 25 lakh. When I again denied that I have not submitted the papers and the papers did not carry my signatures and wanted to see the original papers, Aruna Kumari, accompanied by Madhukeshava and Nandeesh, asked me to come to the Bank along with Rs. 25 lakh to check the documents and also settle the case,” he stated in his plaint. 

Deciding to unearth the case, Harsha visited the Bank at Southend Circle on June 17 to meet Aruna Kumari. There, the actual Manager Shivani told him that the Bank does not have Aruna Kumari as Manager. “Aruna Kumari again called me on June 19 and demanded Rs. 25 lakh to settle the case and started blackmailing me,” Harsha stated in his complaint. 

‘No one has blackmailed me’

Rakesh Papanna told Star of Mysore that they had a suspicion that Aruna Kumari was up to cheating using Darshan’s forged property documents and as such, the complaint was filed at Jayanagar in Bengaluru and Hebbal in Mysuru. 

Speaking to reporters at the ACP Office yesterday, Darshan said that he had come there to give his statement. “My property papers have been forged and no one has blackmailed me. The Police investigation will have to unearth how someone like Aruna Kumari got access to my property papers,” he said and added that he will not spare anyone including his friends if they are involved in the forgery and blackmailing. 

DCP reacts

DCP (Law and Order) Pradeep Gunti clarified that the Police had not called Darshan for investigation in the case. “We have taken up the investigation of the complaint lodged by Harsha at Hebbal Police Station on July 3 and no arrests have been made so far and we have not come to any conclusion,” he said.