A retired Kerala High Court judge, Justice Ramachandran Nair, has been named as the third accused in an alleged multi-crore fraud case involving the false promise of providing scooters and laptops at half price using Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds.
The case, registered by Perinthalmanna police on February 6, also lists Anandu Krishnan as the prime accused, who has been arrested, and K N Ananthakumar, chairman of the National NGO Confederation, as the first accused. Justice Nair was reportedly a patron of the NGO Confederation, which is implicated in the scam.
Details of the Alleged Fraud
According to the FIR, a complaint was filed by 49-year-old Danimon from Valamboor, Malappuram, who alleged that the accused swindled ₹34 lakh through an organisation called KSS Angadippuram. The trio allegedly deceived people by promising them laptops, two-wheelers, and sewing machines at half price, claiming that the remaining cost would be covered by the NGO Confederation and CSR funds.
The accused reportedly collected payments multiple times between April and November 2023 but failed to deliver the promised items, resulting in financial losses for the victims.
Justice Nair Denies Allegations
Justice Nair has strongly denied the allegations, stating that he has been falsely implicated. He claimed that he was never appointed as a patron of the NGO Confederation and that he had resigned from his advisory position in June 2023.
“There are many who wanted to disrupt the work of the Munambam Commission, and it is suspected that this case was filed because of that,” he told the media in Kochi.
He also alleged that the police registered the case against him without conducting a preliminary inquiry.
IUML MLA Also Booked in Similar Case
In a related development, Perinthalmanna police have booked IUML MLA Najeeb Kanthapuram following a complaint from a woman who alleged that she was cheated out of ₹21,000 after being promised a laptop at half price.
Prime Accused Taken for Evidence Collection
On Sunday, police took Anandu Krishnan to multiple locations in Kochi, including his flat at Marine Drive, his former residence in Palarivattom, and his offices in Vyttila, to collect evidence.
Krishnan, a 26-year-old resident of Thodupuzha in Idukki district, was arrested for allegedly defrauding people of several crores by promising scooters, sewing machines, home appliances, and laptops at half price.
The police are conducting a statewide investigation as more complaints emerge, with victims from various districts claiming to have been cheated. Krishnan has been remanded to five days of police custody for further questioning.
Growing Scam Concerns
The half-price scam is the latest in a series of financial frauds reported in Kerala, raising concerns over fraudulent NGOs exploiting CSR funds. Authorities have urged the public to be cautious and verify schemes before making payments.
Sources By Agencies