Two arrested for cheating and blackmailing Iskcon authorities in Bangalore

The Subramanyanagar police arrested two men for cheating and blackmailing Iskcon authorities on Sunday.

The arrested have been identified as Balaji Subash, 26, and Naveen Subramani alias Subramani, 20, both residents of Vidyaranyapura. The police have seized Rs3 lakh, hidden cameras, a laptop, a pendrive and two cellphones from them.

Subash had approached Rathan Das, an authority of Akshaya Patra Foundation, two months ago. He apparently told Das that he could arrange for food for the foundation for a 20% commission. Das, however, declined saying the foundation had no policy of paying commission.

Subash went back, but came again on February 22 along with his friend Bharath Reddy. He told the foundation authorities that Reddy was interested in donating Rs1 crore to the foundation. The duo handed over a cheque of Rs1 crore of Karnataka Bank, Vidyaranyapura, dated March 7. The foundation authorities reportedly agreed to pay commission to Subash for the Rs1-crore donation he had arranged for.

On March 1, Subash wrote to the Akshaya Patra authorities and claimed to have some defaming information on the foundation. He also sent a DVD and claimed to be in possession of some of the documents that could defame the foundation. He threatened to release those to the media and started blackmailing them.

Subash had captured visuals of his conversation with the foundation authorities from a hidden camera. At some places, he recorded his own voice as that of the authorities and blackmailed them with the video clips, the police said.

In the meantime, the cheque provided to Akshaya Patra bounced. Kodandarama Das, an official of the foundation had paid Rs3 lakh to Subash on March 3. However, Subash continued demanding more money. Das then filed a complaint with police.