Man arrested for cheating, valuables worth ₹22.5 lakh recovered
Bhadravathi police arrested a man on charges of cheating a woman of gold ornaments and ₹2 lakh in cash after promising to ward off “black magic” cast on her through a ritual.
Published - September 10, 2026 07:07 pm IST - Shivamogga
Bhadravathi police arrested a man on charges of cheating a woman of gold ornaments and ₹2 lakh in cash after promising to ward off “black magic” cast on her through a ritual. The team traced and arrested the accused within hours of the case being registered, drawing appreciation from senior police officials.
The arrested man has been identified as Murali, alias Kariya, son of Shekhar, 31, a native of Thiplapura Camp in Bhadravathi taluk. He allegedly told a woman residing at Gandhinagar in Bhadravathi that someone had cast black magic on her, and that she and her children would face serious problems if it was not removed.
Believing him, the woman agreed to a ritual as per Murali’s instructions on September 7. The accused, along with his brother Ravi, performed a puja at her residence and, once it was done, asked her to hand over her gold ornaments, saying they would take them home, complete further rituals and return them once the black magic was fully warded off. They took away ornaments weighing around 193 grams and ₹2 lakh in cash, and did not return them.
The woman filed a complaint with Hosamane police the same day.
A team led by Police Sub-Inspector (PSI) Siddappa M.P. of Hosamane Shivaji Circle police station, working under the supervision of Bhadravathi Sub-Division Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP) Prakash Rathod and the guidance of City Circle Police Inspector (CPI) Nagamma, arrested Murali within hours of the case being registered.
The police recovered gold ornaments and gold bars worth over ₹22.5 lakh, amounting to 161 grams, part of which the accused had pledged at a pawn shop.
Shivamogga Superintendent of Police Nikhil B., IPS, and Additional Superintendent of Police Kariyappa have commended the Bhadravathi police for their swift action in the case.
Published - September 10, 2026 07:07 pm IST
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