Bengaluru priest booked for misusing Sudha Murty's name to collect money

The complaint was filed by Murty’s executive assistant Mamata Sanjay.

A 34-year-old priest was arrested from Malleswaram by the Jayanagar police for fraudulently collecting Rs 5 lakh from a US-based Kannada collective by misusing Infosys foundation chairperson Sudha Murty's name.

The priest, identified as Arun Kumar, falsely assured the presence of Murty as a chief guest at an event of Kannada Koota in California, US. Kumar, a resident of Rajajinagar in Bengaluru, was arrested after an investigation into a cybercrime case registered by the Jayanagar police on September 22.

Earlier, two women were booked in connection to two separate cases where Murty’s name was misused for illegal profit. However, the investigation showed Kumar as the mastermind behind both the scams, reported Indian Express.

In the first case, Kumar defrauded a group from the Kannada Koota of Northern California (KKNC) of Rs 5 lakh by assuring them the participation of Murty as a chief guest at their 50th anniversary event. However, the author had previously declined the invitation from the group in April itself. However, a woman, posing as a member of the philanthropist’s staff, assured her presence. The incident came to light after pictures and videos indicating Murty as the chief guest surfaced.

The second fraud was committed by a different woman who falsely advertised a “Meet & Greet with Dr Sudha Murty” event on social media by a non-profit organisation Sewa International at Milpitas, US, on September 26. Tickets were priced at $40, which is approximately Rs 3,330, according to Indian Express. The matter was revealed after the false advertisement caught the eye of Murty’s team.

As per a police officer, Kumar confessed to duping the event organisers and obtaining Rs 5 lakh as an advance. Kumar is also a relative of the woman’s husband.

Before Kumar, the two women named Lavanya and Shruthi, were arrested by the Jayanagar police on a complaint filed by Murty’s executive assistant Mamata Sanjay.