19 June,2009 08:23 AM IST | | Suresh M R
Sathish Kumar claims to have got the better of the fraud who would file false cases against NRIs and harass them
Sathish Kumar, co-ordinator of Athina township, refused to be browbeaten by master conman Joseph Chacko and managed to save the properties of many NRIs there.
NRI investors on vacation would want to approach Chacko, who developed the township, to take possession of their land or flats. Instead, they would be greeted by Chacko's henchmen who would chase them away. Chacko would then file false complaints against the unsuspecting NRIs.
In some cases, Chacko forced investors to sign blank stamp papers if they wanted the false cases withdrawn. Trapped NRIs then had to pay a heavy price.
Chacko's strategy succeeded since he worked with certain police stations who kept the NRI community from taking legal action.
Fighting for justice
But Sathish, an electrical component dealer and Hennur resident, refused to be cowed down.
He told MiD DAY that he came to know of the fraud in 2007 while taking care of Athina township. With the help of investors, he approached then chief minister H D Kumaraswamy who, in turn, asked the police commissioner to investigate.
"Chacko lodged complaints against me at Poligonnu station in Allapura, Erimali in Kottayam district, and Chengamanadu and Kadavadra in Ernakulam districts by his maids and drivers. After a lot of effort, the cases were proved false," he said.
"Chacko refused to give up and filed cases against me at the Hoskote and Chikkajala stations. Hoskote police have given a B report while the other case is still going on," Sathish added.
Chacko had even filed a case of dacoity against Sathish at Upparpet police station but the latter was fortunately cleared.
"Ultimately, with the help of police we were able to clear Chacko's men from some blocks of Athina. The society is taking care of the land now," he said.
Sathish, who did not want his picture taken, said the battle was not over since Chacko had filed another case and the matter was in court.
