The Goa Police is trying to track down Dr Shantaraju and his wife Mallama Bidari for duping hundreds of slum dwellers in Vasco through a bogus insurance-cum-housing scheme.
The couple who are connected to the Janata Dal (Secular) are believed to be in Bangalore, police told Deccan Herald. Mallama Bidari contested the Goa assembly election as a JD(S) candidate from Cortalim, South Goa, last year.

Dr Shantaraju was at the time the JD(S) Goa unit vice president. Four persons were arrested in Vasco on Sunday in this regard.

All four are local employees of the Bangalore-based Indian Humanitarian Organisation, Vasco police inspector Sammy Tavares said.

One of the victims, Sunita Pawar had lodged a complaint against Shantaraju and Bidari who were running IHO for collecting Rs 200 each from hundreds of slum dwellers promising to enroll them in an insurance-cum-housing scheme.

No receipts were given for the money collected and no scheme ever materialised.
Another JD(S) member, Siddhanna Meti who contested the election here from Vasco told the police that he had left the IHO after he became suspicious about its activities.
According to sources in the JD(S), the couple hail from Bijapur district and they claim to be in iron ore export business.