<p>The City police on Wednesday claimed to have arrested Joseph Chacko, the main accused in the case. <br /><br />Police say, Chacko was arrested in Kolkata on Wednesday morning. Within minutes, a battery of lawyers tried their best to bail him out. However, the City Crime Branch (CCB) sleuths presented the relevant documents and managed to get a transit warrant. The accused is expected to be brought to the City by Thursday noon.<br /><br />After producing him in the court, the police will be taking him for further interrogation.<br />Chacko, a PUC drop out, who hails from Mavelikara, Kerala, had settled down in Bangalore. He started off as a painter and later turned into real estate business in 1980s. <br /><br />Floated townships <br /><br />He floated many townships and residential layouts, in the City and outskirts under the name of Athina township I, II and III stages at Doddagubii, Bidarahalli, Bangalore East, Elysium township at Byrathi, Kyalasanahalli, Bidarahalli, Ashiana at Yerappanahalli, Bangalore South, Crown Plaza Resorts opposite Little Sisters of the poor, Kasaba hobli, Byatarayanapura, Crown Plaza international hotel Apartments at Syno 31/8, Byatarayanapura CMC, Athena Heavens, Doddanallurahalli, Jadigenahalli, Hoskote, West Avenue Fields, Hoskote, Planet Regency International Resorts at Hoskote, Regency Enclave at Hoskote, etc and much other income generating schemes and collected several crores of rupees.<br /><br />Several cases are pending in the Nandagudi, Sulebele, Hennur, Kothannoor and other police stations. <br /><br />A senior officer told Deccan Herald: “The accused had business dealing with Atul Rao whose name hit headlines during the Udupi MLA’s wife kidnapping case. Chacko and Atul had some joint venture.”<br /><br />Chacko had umpteen non-bailable warrants against him and for the last five years, he was evading arrest and almost challenged the criminal justice system. <br /><br />Chacko is learnt to have more than three wives and always flew in business class, and stayed in star hotels. <br /><br />On Sunday, the CCB sleuths got information that Chacko and his family were staying at a star hotel in Chennai. Immediately, a team was deputed to the neighbouring state. <br />Due to some problem while travelling on road, the cops got delayed and by which time, Chacko checked into a Kolkata flight.<br /><br />The city cops swung into action and got the flight particulars --- seat number, landing time etc. <br /><br />Swiftly senior officers took charge of the situation and alerted their counterparts in Kolkata and managed to nab him at the airport.<br /><br />Chacko used to take general power of attorneys from illiterate and villagers by promising to pay once their land is sold but cheated them once the sale proceedings were through. <br />NRI status<br /><br />In the year 1995, Chacko moved to Kuwait and assumed NRI status and began developing several residential layouts exclusively sold to NRIs across Gulf countries, the UK, the USA, South Africa etc. <br /><br />Meanwhile, Chacko held the NRI status and filed false cases for years to keep the proceeds of the sale abroad in foreign exchange, so as to avoid the eyes of the IT authorities. Further, he filed criminal cases against investors who approached him.<br /><br /><br />A twist in tale?<br /><br />There was confusion at the Kolkata court after the arrest of fraudster Joseph Chacko, whose case came up for hearing on Wednesday.<br /><br />Sources said, it looked like a case of mistaken identity. Kolkata police arrested and produced one Rajesh Bose as Chacko. Based on the information from the CCB police, their Kolkata counterparts had picked up Chacko from the airport. <br /><br />Later, Bose told the Court that he was not Chacko and he had cooperated with the police since there was a pending attempt-to-murder case against him.<br /><br />However, the city police did not say anything about the incident. But a senior officer reassured saying, “by evening, we will produce Chacko in the City.” <br /><br />It is yet to be seen whether Chacko played tricks and escaped or the City police goofed up or it was a case of mistaken identity.</p>
<p>The City police on Wednesday claimed to have arrested Joseph Chacko, the main accused in the case. <br /><br />Police say, Chacko was arrested in Kolkata on Wednesday morning. Within minutes, a battery of lawyers tried their best to bail him out. However, the City Crime Branch (CCB) sleuths presented the relevant documents and managed to get a transit warrant. The accused is expected to be brought to the City by Thursday noon.<br /><br />After producing him in the court, the police will be taking him for further interrogation.<br />Chacko, a PUC drop out, who hails from Mavelikara, Kerala, had settled down in Bangalore. He started off as a painter and later turned into real estate business in 1980s. <br /><br />Floated townships <br /><br />He floated many townships and residential layouts, in the City and outskirts under the name of Athina township I, II and III stages at Doddagubii, Bidarahalli, Bangalore East, Elysium township at Byrathi, Kyalasanahalli, Bidarahalli, Ashiana at Yerappanahalli, Bangalore South, Crown Plaza Resorts opposite Little Sisters of the poor, Kasaba hobli, Byatarayanapura, Crown Plaza international hotel Apartments at Syno 31/8, Byatarayanapura CMC, Athena Heavens, Doddanallurahalli, Jadigenahalli, Hoskote, West Avenue Fields, Hoskote, Planet Regency International Resorts at Hoskote, Regency Enclave at Hoskote, etc and much other income generating schemes and collected several crores of rupees.<br /><br />Several cases are pending in the Nandagudi, Sulebele, Hennur, Kothannoor and other police stations. <br /><br />A senior officer told Deccan Herald: “The accused had business dealing with Atul Rao whose name hit headlines during the Udupi MLA’s wife kidnapping case. Chacko and Atul had some joint venture.”<br /><br />Chacko had umpteen non-bailable warrants against him and for the last five years, he was evading arrest and almost challenged the criminal justice system. <br /><br />Chacko is learnt to have more than three wives and always flew in business class, and stayed in star hotels. <br /><br />On Sunday, the CCB sleuths got information that Chacko and his family were staying at a star hotel in Chennai. Immediately, a team was deputed to the neighbouring state. <br />Due to some problem while travelling on road, the cops got delayed and by which time, Chacko checked into a Kolkata flight.<br /><br />The city cops swung into action and got the flight particulars --- seat number, landing time etc. <br /><br />Swiftly senior officers took charge of the situation and alerted their counterparts in Kolkata and managed to nab him at the airport.<br /><br />Chacko used to take general power of attorneys from illiterate and villagers by promising to pay once their land is sold but cheated them once the sale proceedings were through. <br />NRI status<br /><br />In the year 1995, Chacko moved to Kuwait and assumed NRI status and began developing several residential layouts exclusively sold to NRIs across Gulf countries, the UK, the USA, South Africa etc. <br /><br />Meanwhile, Chacko held the NRI status and filed false cases for years to keep the proceeds of the sale abroad in foreign exchange, so as to avoid the eyes of the IT authorities. Further, he filed criminal cases against investors who approached him.<br /><br /><br />A twist in tale?<br /><br />There was confusion at the Kolkata court after the arrest of fraudster Joseph Chacko, whose case came up for hearing on Wednesday.<br /><br />Sources said, it looked like a case of mistaken identity. Kolkata police arrested and produced one Rajesh Bose as Chacko. Based on the information from the CCB police, their Kolkata counterparts had picked up Chacko from the airport. <br /><br />Later, Bose told the Court that he was not Chacko and he had cooperated with the police since there was a pending attempt-to-murder case against him.<br /><br />However, the city police did not say anything about the incident. But a senior officer reassured saying, “by evening, we will produce Chacko in the City.” <br /><br />It is yet to be seen whether Chacko played tricks and escaped or the City police goofed up or it was a case of mistaken identity.</p>
