MANGALURU: City police have arrested 43-year-old Roshan Saldanha from Bollagudda in Bajal for allegedly masterminding a nationwide con from his luxurious mansion, which he had turned into a fortress of deception. Masquerading as a high-flying entrepreneur with alleged access to massive loans and real estate deals, Saldanha is accused of cheating businessmen out of crores of rupees. He was found hiding in a concealed chamber inside his home when police nabbed him around midnight Thursday.
“Preliminary probe revealed that there were transactions amounting to Rs 40 crore in the past 3-4 months. Past transactions too are being looked into,” said city police commissioner Sudheer Kumar Reddy.Victims were lured with promise of high-value loans Saldanha allegedly promised business loans worth up to Rs 600 crore, claiming links with top financial institutions. Victims were lured with the assurance of high-value loans and lucrative property investments.
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They were told to pay advance amounts ranging from Rs 50 lakh to Rs 4 crore, purportedly as stamp duty, commission, legal clearances, and processing fees. Once he received the funds, Saldanha would disappear.
The opulent mansion fitted with secret chambers, false walls, concealed stairways leading to escape routes, doors embedded on walls and underground corridors looked like it had been lifted straight out of a Bollywood smuggler’s den. Surveillance cameras gave him real-time footage of the property, enabling swift escape.The house had rare ornamental plants valued around Rs 3-5 lakh each, vintage champagne, and exotic liquor. Authorities found a diamond ring valued at Rs 2.8 crore and 667 gm of gold. Liquor worth over Rs 6.7 lakh was also found on the premises, prompting registration of a case under the Karnataka Excise Act for possession beyond legal limits.Police have so far registered two FIRs against Saldanha in Mangaluru and one in Chitradurga. Investigators believe he may have cheated victims from Delhi, Mumbai, Chitradurga, Bengaluru, Vijayapura, Tumakuru, Bagalkot, Kolkata, Sangli, Goa, Lucknow, and other cities across the country.
