ISKCON Kolkata cheating case: Book supplier arrested 6 years after Rs 2 cr fraud

Kolkata, Nov 10 (IANS) The Kolkata Police on Monday arrested a book supplier in connection with a Rs 2 crore cheating case involving the procurement of religious books for the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) about six years ago, officials confirmed.A local court here on Sunday remanded him in nine-day police custody till November 18.Police sources stated that the accused, identified as Devraj Bhattacharya, allegedly embezzled a substantial amount by delivering fewer books than officially ordered by ISKCON Kolkata and simultaneously submitting fabricated bills for payment.The arrest comes six years after the alleged financial irregularities were first uncovered during an internal audit by the organisation.“The accused, who was in charge of the supply chain, did not deliver the full consignment of books but managed to secure approximately Rs 2 crore from the organisation by allegedly submitting fake bills," a senior police official privy to the investigation said.The cheating case was reported at the Shakespeare Sarani police station in 2019 after the audit revealed the discrepancies, leading to a complaint filed against Bhattacharya and an associate.Soon after the police complaint by ISKCON, the accused had gone into hiding, and the police launched a manhunt to arrest him.Bhattacharya had reportedly been evading arrest by moving between different locations, prompting a court to issue an arrest warrant against him.The police apprehended Bhattacharya from the Girish Park area on Saturday night following the receipt of information about his return to the city this week, according to police sources.Investigators expressed confidence that the custodial interrogation of Bhattacharya would lead to the identification and apprehension of other individuals involved in the operation.The ISKCON, popularly known as the Hare Krishna Movement, is a Hindu religious organisation that follows the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition, centred on devotion to Lord Krishna as the Supreme Being. Its spiritual and administrative headquarters are situated at Mayapur in the Nadia district of West Bengal.--IANSsch/snj/skp

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