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"I
was on the look-out to make good the losses by hook or crook. During
a visit to London, I learnt about the Euro lottery. I staked some
money on it in vain. Then, I invented the story that I won the
lottery. I created a website and an email address on the Internet
with the address 'eurolottery@usa.net.' Whenever accessed, the site
would name me as the beneficiary of the 12.5 million pound (that is,
$ 19.8 million or Rs 840 million) Euro-lottery," Kola Mohan
recalled.
A
Telugu newspaper in Hyderabad received an email that a Telugu had
won the Euro lottery. The website address was given for
verification. The newspaper sent the query and got the
"confirmation" since Kola Mohan had himself created and
manipulated the website.
The
Telugu daily published the story and other newspapers and the media
in general followed suit. Nobody tried to verify the claim at the
genuine address of Euro-lottery. "It was surprising that no
newsman asked me either for any proof," Mohan quipped.
Taken
for a ride by his claim, people made a beeline to Krishna Mohan for
deposits, partnerships, donations etc. He became a celebrity
overnight and began leading a luxurious life. He purchased a posh
house and cars. He was provided gunmen by the police for his
security.
Mohan
collected millions of rupees from several individuals and financiers
at four to nine per cent interest per month. Some nationalised banks
also lent him money in a bid to attract the Euro deposit. He used
this money to pay interest to some creditors to retain their
confidence. To repay one loan, he took another.
However,
the fraud came to light when a cheque discounted by him with the
Andhra Bank for Rs 1.73 million bounced. Mohan had pledged with
Andhra Bank the copy of a bond certificate purportedly issued by
Midland Bank, Sheffields, London stating that a term deposit of 12.5
million was held in his name.
After
the cheque bounced, Andhra Bank authorities verified the
authenticity of the bond certificate with the Midland Bank. They
were shocked to learn that the bond certificate was fake. Thereupon,
on November 25, the Andhra Bank Eluru Road branch officials lodged a
complaint with Governorpet police station against Mohan for
"cheating and forgery." The police registered a case
against him under sections 420, 468 and 471 of the Indian Penal
Code.
In
the meantime, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu also ordered the
Crime Branch-Criminal Investigation Department of the state police
to probe into the antecedents of Mohan who had joined the Telugu
Desam Party in May this year and even donated one million rupees to
the NTR Memorial Trust set up by the TDP.
Mohan
claimed that the manager of a London-based company had collaborated
with him in realising his plans to defraud people. The police
confiscated a laptop, worth Rs 1,40,000, from his possession and
also seized some incriminating documents.
Source:rediff.com
30.11.1999
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