Mysuru/ Bengaluru: The Bengaluru Central Crime Branch and the Cubbon Park Police have arrested a man from Mandya who set up a fake flood relief bank account in the name of Kodava Samaja, Bengaluru, to collect money from people for flood relief and rehabilitation. The accused has been identified as Vijay Sharma alias Vijay Babu, a resident of Channarayapatna in Hassan. He was arrested from Mandya yesterday. His bank account has been sealed now.

Speaking to Star of Mysore this morning, Mandeyada Ravi Uthappa, President of Bengaluru Kodava Samaja, said that the accused had opened a fake bank account and had collected money from donors. “The accused had opened a personal account in SBI Padmanabhanagar under the name of C.P. Vijay Babu and collected money in the name of Kodava Samaja Flood Relief Fund. He also put up posts from his Facebook and Twitter profile that the Samaja had created a new account and money could be donated to this account as well,” Ravi said.

The authorities of Kodava Samaja lodged a complaint with Cubbon Park Police on Monday and the case was transferred to Central Crime Branch. Vijay Babu has been arrested now, said Bengaluru Police. But the accused had already withdrawn Rs.60,000 from the account and efforts are on to recover the money. The fake account has been closed now and the balance is Rs.200, said the Police.

“We are requesting the people not to send any money to fake accounts and Kodava Samaja has only one flood relief account in Canara Bank at Vasanth Nagar branch. It is very bad that a few people are misusing this distress time when the people of Kodagu are suffering,” Ravi Uthappa added.

Kodava Samaja has requested to credit donations to Kodava Samaja Flood Relief Fund Bengaluru, A/c No: 1370101084312, IFSC Code: CNRB0001370 at Canara Bank, Vasanth Nagar.