Mangaluru, 20 July

Roshan Saldanha, a Mangaluru-based man accused of defrauding businessmen across several states of several crore rupees, has been remanded to judicial custody.

The accused, who was arrested earlier this week, is facing multiple FIRs related to financial frauds, police said.

Police produced Saldanha before a court on Saturday night, which ordered a judicial custody for him.

Mangaluru South (CEN) police, who are already investigating two earlier cases involving Rs 11 crore and Rs 2 crore, have now received fresh complaints. A Maharashtra-based businessman alleged that Rs 5 crore was transferred to Saldanha’s account on 16 July. Similarly, a businessman from Assam claimed a loss of Rs 20 lakh on 17 July.

Police have since directed banks to freeze the accused’s accounts.

Chitradurga police may also seek his custody in connection with a separate case involving a Rs 40 crore fraud filed by an Andhra Pradesh businessman.

Mangaluru Police Commissioner Sudheer Kumar Reddy said the accused will likely be taken into police custody again for further interrogation. Authorities have urged other victims to file complaints either locally or with the South CEN police station.