BENGALURU: A fraud astrologer in the city allegedly cheated a woman of gold ornaments worth Rs 40 lakh on the pretext of doing puja to Chowdeshwari Devi. When the victim asked for the jewellery to be returned, he sent her an AI-generated video faking an accident and claiming that his survival itself was in doubt.
The victim, G C Shanthamma (62), a resident of Girinagar, Banashankari 3rd Stage, was frequently visiting Victoria Hospital due to health issues. During these visits, she met astrologer Venkatesh who was operating from a footpath near the Hospital.
Shanthamma consulted Venkatesh about her ill health and the astrologer assured her that she will be alright in a few days. After the woman saw her health recover, she went to the astrologer about her son’s drinking problem and daughter’s marriage.
Shantamma did not find the astrologer and had given her contact number to an autorickshaw driver and left. The astrologer took the number and called the woman who asked him to come to her house. He then gave her a lemon and said puja should be done to Goddess Chowdeshwari on every new moon (Amavasya). He said it will be good if puoja is done to jewellery at his house and would take the jewellery every Amavasya from the woman.
Like this, for one year, the astrologer had taken jewellery worth a whopping Rs 40 lakh. On August 19, Shanthamma had asked for the jewellery back for Varamahalakshmi festival. But the fraudster astrologer fabricated an accident story by sending an AI video saying his survival itself is doubt and had switched off mobile.
Then, Shanthamma told her daughter about meeting the astrologer. When video was checked, it turned out to be an AI video. When they called the astrologer, his mobile phone was switched off. Shantamma then lodged a complaint at the Byatarayanapura police station regarding incident. A case has been registered and police are on the lookout for the fake astrologer.
