Representative image of a police van.
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A former Panchayat Development Officer (PDO) named in at least three cheating cases has landed in the police net after being at large for nearly two years, officials said on Wednesday.
Yogendra, 39, who was the PDO in Yellapur, Uttara Kannada, was apprehended as he flew from Colombo, Sri Lanka, on February 15. He is an accused in at least three cheating cases registered in Bengaluru, and police suspect there are more cases against him, according to multiple police investigators.
Yogendra’s passport was flagged to the immigration officials as a Look Out Circular (LOC) was pending against him issued by the CK Achukattu police in southern Bengaluru, where the first case against him was registered on February 12, 2023.
According to the FIR, Yogendra cheated Nandeesh G, a resident of Mallathahalli, of Rs 17.03 lakh by promising him a government job at the Vidhana Soudha. Fearing the arrest, he secured anticipatory bail.
"He violated the bail conditions and skipped the summons after that,” a police officer told DH.
The CK Achukattu police then wrote to the court to cancel his bail, the officer added.
While on bail, Yogendra allegedly cheated JC Nagar resident Rajakumar J of Rs 43 lakh by promising to sell his site. Yogendra owned the site but there was already a loan default, which was hidden. The FIR was registered on July 3, 2023.
On March 8, 2024, a third case was filed at the VV Puram police station, alleging that Yogendra cheated Venugopala PB from Belur of Rs 1.25 crore by promising him shares in two companies and investments in cryptocurrency.
"When the cases started piling up, an inquiry was ordered against Yogendra and he was dismissed from government service," another police investigator said.
The CK Achukattu police also issued an LOC. Yogendra fled to the UAE and then to Sri Lanka.
Following his arrest, the CK Achukattu police produced him before the court, which remanded him in judicial custody. The JC Nagar police moved for a body warrant and received his custody. He would be produced before the court on Thursday where the VV Puram police are likely to seek his custody, a senior police officer said.