Real estate businessman in Karnataka arrested for cheating temple devotees of ₹2.15 lakh with government loan scheme claim

The Turuvekere police of Tumakuru district have arrested a man for allegedly cheating devotees of over ₹2.15 lakh by promising to arrange loans under a government scheme.

According to the police, the accused had visited the Sri Adi Shakti Kollapuradamma Temple at Choudenahalli village in Turuvekere taluk posing as a devotee. He allegedly convinced members of the temple that he could help them obtain ₹10 lakh loans under the Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP). Trusting his claims, seven people paid ₹25,000 each and another person paid ₹40,000, totalling ₹2,15,000.

Based on the complaint, a case was registered at Turuvekere police station under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) in Crime No. 250/2025.

The police officials said that the accused has been identified as Somashekhar H.K. (46), a real estate businessman from Hullenahalli, Bagur hobli in Channarayapatna taluk of Hassan district, currently residing near Hoysala Nagar, close to Huliyuramma temple in Sunkadakatte, Bengaluru.

The accused was arrested by a special investigation team formed according to police officials.