Kasaragod : Cops in Chandyeri Police station have received more complaints from people who have been allegedly duped by Manjeswaram MLA, MC Kamaruddin using his business outfit, Fashion Jewelry. Seventeen cases related to the fraud were registered on Monday.
A court in Hosdurg has already issued the MLA summons for passing bad cheques to the tune of Rs 78 lakh against people’s deposits across his jewelry showrooms. Only 17 of the total 800 persons defrauded, have lodged a complaint so far, the reason being that, a majority of the depositors are people working or residing abroad owing to which, their complaints are expected to be delayed.
Those swindled also include commoners who made deposits using their pension, alimony and money saved up for daughters’ marriages. Most depositors are League workers or members of their family. Incidentally, the party had threatened many depositors to dissuade them from lodging complaints against the MLA.
Careful planning
The fraud is clearly a planned scam. Despite closure of 3 branches of Fashion Gold, hundreds of people, on assurance from the MLA , continued to make their deposits and Kamaruddin used that time to discreetly dispose off the land and building he owned in Kasaragod. Also, a showroom under construction in Kanjanangad was transferred to another jewelry group using proxies(benami). And, the guest house at Bengaluru was taken up by the director himself. When customers later, failed to get their payments, they demanded their capital and dues back. That’s when the MLA went into hiding in Gulf last December and returned after 3 months early this March. Learning on his arrival, depositors flocked to the airport and once again the MLA fled the scene this time saying, he was only an employee with the jewelry firm.
League defends Khamuruddin
Muslim League seniors downplayed the case saying the crisis at MLA’s firm is a result of ongoing economic crisis. Interestingly, the party has asked MC Kamaruddin to vacate his post as UDF Chairman after which they plan to have the vacancy filled with either League District President TE Abdullah or State Director or former minister CT Ahmed Ali.
Rajmohan Unnithan's reaction
In his response on the Fashion Jewelry fraud, MLA Rajmohan Unnithan said, 'one who has eaten salt will drink water' - an idiom meaning, one eventually faces consequences for what has done. Further Unnithan said, Khamuruddin should have resigned as UDF District Chairman at the time he vacated his post as League President. PK Kunhalikutty. The UDF leadership have discussed the ongoing developments and I have conveyed them my view on the issue, Unnithan added.
