In a major turn of events, the Kerala police have registered a cheating case against retired Kerala High Court judge, Justice CN Ramachandran Nair, for his alleged involvement in a Rs34 lakh Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) fund scam. The retired judge is said to have swindled the money while serving as a trustee for the National NGO Confederation.
Ramakrishna Rao, the accused, who is also a former judge, faces charges alongside the chairman of Sai Gramam Global Trust, KN Anand Kumar, and Anandhu Krishnan, who is listed as the second accused in the case. According to the complaint, filed by the president of Angadippuram Kisan Service Society (KSS), these three individuals allegedly collected Rs34 lakh from KSS in instalments.
The police have registered the case under Section 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for criminal breach of trust and cheating. The scandal is connected to the so-called ‘half-price scam,’ in which fraudsters promised products such as scooters, laptops, and home appliances at half the price, claiming these items were being funded through CSR initiatives.
The key accused in the scam, Anandhu Krishnan, is said to have manipulated over 200 NGOs to execute these fraudulent schemes, deceiving individuals and charitable organizations across Kerala. He also operated 19 bank accounts for processing transactions worth Rs450 crore in recent months.
In the scam, Anandhu promised individuals and NGOs access to discounted items like scooters, laptops, and home appliances but failed to deliver them, leading to widespread complaints. According to police sources, over 750 complaints have been received from districts including Kottayam, Malappuram, and Kannur. Complaints continue to flood in, with more than 7,000 individuals reportedly enrolled in the fraudulent scheme.
The police have already arrested Anandhu Krishnan, the mastermind behind the operation. Authorities are also investigating shell companies used by Krishnan for financial fraud, including his limited liability partnership, Social Bee, based in Kochi.
The investigation has expanded with cases filed against several others involved in the scheme, including IUML MLA Najeeb Kanthapuram and his secretary. The MLA alleged that Rs1.88 crore had been swindled from a charitable organization in his constituency, using the same fraudulent tactics.
As the investigation continues, authorities suspect that more individuals may be implicated in this large-scale scam involving misuse of CSR funds and false promises of products at discounted prices.
