Police say accused would promise to arrange for crores in foreign funding if NGOs first deposited a few lakhs with him for procedures
Police say accused would promise to arrange for crores in foreign funding if NGOs first deposited a few lakhs with him for procedures
The Frazer town police are on the lookout for Pastor Smith M Mathew, who allegedly cheated over 200 non-governmental organisations (NGOs), making them poorer by several lakhs of rupees each.
Initial investigations by the Central Crime Branch (CCB) revealed that the pastor had purchased properties in Devanahalli, Delhi, Mumbai and Hyderabad, all allegedly with theu00a0 money he made duping the NGOs.
The police said they had been unable to trace the pastor so far.
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NOT IN OFFICE: UBC building (red) on Church Street, where Pastor Smith M Mathew had his office. The pastor does not visit the office anymore. |
Promise of fundsThe matter came to light when NGO worker Nandita (name changed on request), filed a police complaint
stating that Pastor Mathew had allegedly asked her to deposit Rs 6 lakh, after which he would arrange Rs 5
crore in foreign funding for her organisation.
The pastor allegedly claimed the Rs 6 lakh was to pay taxes and other fees to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to enable the foreign funds to be transferred into the country.
"For six months, the pastor claimed to be operating the Fortune Universe Trust, with funds running into several thousand crores for disbursal every year. He claimed he would distribute the funds to various NGOs," said the police complaint.
Police sources said Pastor Mathew had also showed Nandita documents 'proving' he had received Rs 50,000 crore from the US.
He also showed a letter from a senior RBI officer confirming the amount she had paid had reached the apex bank.
Untraceable
"Following the payment, whenever I called him, the pastor would give me evasive replies, assuring me that the funds would reach us soon. He would claim he was on a foreign trip," Nandita told the police.
When Nandita visited the pastor's house at St Thomas town, the landlord reportedly told her he had moved out a week ago as many people used to come to the place demanding money. When she checked at his office on Church Street, she found he had vacated that as well. When Nandita finally managed to get in touch with the pastor, he allegedly refused to return her money and threatened her with dire consequences if she took her complaint to the authorities.
