Karnataka woman weaves a Rs25-crore ‘conweb’, dupes 400

A 40-year-old woman who allegedly duped more than 400 people in the city to the tune of Rs25 crore was arrested by the Central Crime Branch (CCB) police along with her two associates on Thursday. The police have recovered property worth Rs1 crore from them.

The accused have been identified as RP Umadevi alias Umadevi Balaram alias Sujatha, a resident of Baba Saheb Palya in Kengeri; Umesh Sridhar, 53, of Chikkallasandra and J Mohan Kumar, 25, of Kumbalagod.

Police said that she allegedly cheated people by offering them online network jobs. She collected money from more than 400 persons for providing them with ID passwords. When she had collected more than `25 crore, she fled to Ooty. She changed her name to Sujatha and stayed there.

She claims she was being extorted by gangsters and unable to pay to her employees she fled. Her luck ran out when CCB police team, under the leadership of joint commissioner of police (crime) Alok Kumar and deputy commissioner of police (crime) DM Krishnamraju, found out that she was hiding in the Tamil Nadu hill-station.

A team headed by assistant commissioner SH Duggappa rushed to Ooty and arrested her. The team also arrested Sridhar and Mohan based on her information.

Police have seized one car, one scooter, TV, fridge, washing machine, several household articles, computers, office equipments and document of Umadevi’s immovable property worth`1 crore.