Bengaluru Police have arrested a woman accused of swindling over 20 wealthy women out of nearly ₹30 crore by pretending to have close ties with senior politicians. Investigators said she met her targets at kitty parties, where she boasted of connections to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar to earn their confidence.
The Annapoorneshwari Nagar police launched the probe after an ₹86-lakh cheating complaint, eventually unearthing her larger racket. Officers revealed she was previously arrested in Govindaraj Nagar in May in a separate ₹2.5-crore fraud case and released on bail.
Explaining her tactic, officials said she deliberately singled out affluent women, inviting them to social gatherings. There, she claimed she could import inexpensive gold from Dubai and other countries through her influential contacts.
Trusting her stories, many victims handed over large sums, expecting substantial returns or privileged access to precious metals.
Police sources said her repeated references to prominent leaders and displays of apparent wealth made her appear credible. In reality, the suspect was running a sophisticated con, using money from one group of victims to repay or pacify others.
Authorities are now verifying if more people were duped using similar ploys. Officials have urged anyone who suspects they were defrauded to come forward.