Hindutva activist, 6 others held for cheating BJP ticket seeker of crores

Central crime branch (CCB) police personnel from Bengaluru have arrested Hindutva activist Chaitra Kundapura and six others on the charge of cheating a businessman of crores of rupees after promising a BJP ticket for him from Byndoor assembly constituency in Udupi district.

The CCB team took the activist and six other suspects into custody from near the Sri Krishna Mutt in Udupi on Tuesday night, police sources said.

It is alleged that the prime accused, Chaitra Kundapura, along with the other suspects, had taken around Rs 5 crore from BJP ticket aspirant Govinda Babu Poojary, a native of Byndoor, who runs hospitality and catering businesses in Bengaluru.

Poojary, who filed a complaint at the Bandepalya police station in Bengaluru on September 8, stated that he was introduced to the prime accused by a Sangh volunteer Prasad of Byndoor.

Chaitra Kundapura, who claimed to have close contacts with RSS and BJP leadership, promised to get a ticket for him to contest from Byndoor in the 2023 assembly elections. She took him to different persons and the huge sum was paid in three stages, the complaint said.

The complainant also alleged that Chaitra Kundapura and other accused had threatened to eliminate him, and demanded that the police take strict action against the accused.

Chaitra Kundapura is a popular face among Hindutva activists and several FIRs have been registered against her at different places for inflammatory speeches.

Police sources said the accused will be taken to Bengaluru and produced before the court. They have been charged with criminal breach of trust, intimidation, cheating and impersonation. Further investigations are on, sources said.