Sunil Lohan
The Byatarayanapura police have arrested a man accused of cheating a 62-year-old woman of gold jewellery worth around Rs.40 lakh by gaining her trust under the pretext of predicting her future and performing religious rituals.
The accused,Venkatesh,was arrested in Andhra Pradesh based on technical evidence gathered during the investigation. 
Bytarayanapura Police have recovered 200 grams of gold jewellery from him and are making efforts to trace the remaining ornaments.
According to the complaint,the victim,Shanthamma, frequently visited Victoria Hospital for treatment.During one of her visits,she became acquainted with Venkatesh and sought his advice about her recurring health problems.
He allegedly assured her that her difficulties would soon disappear.After she experienced some improvement in her health,she began trusting him.
Shanthamma later approached him for advice about her son’s drinking habit and her daughter’s marriage.
Venkatesh allegedly exploited her concerns, claiming that performing a Chowdeshwari puja would bring prosperity and resolve the family’s problems.
He reportedly gave her lemons and persuaded her to hand over the gold ornaments kept at home for religious rituals.
According to investigation officer, he visited her house on every new-moon day and collected jewellery over a period of about one year.
The woman allegedly handed over around 300 grams of gold ornaments,estimated to be worth Rs.40 lakh.
When Shanthamma sought the return of her jewellery on August 19 ahead of the Varamahalakshmi festival, Venkatesh allegedly sent her an AI-generated fake video showing him as having met with a serious accident and being unlikely to survive.He subsequently switched off his mobile phone.
Suspicious of the video,Shanthamma showed it to her daughter,who recognised that it had been generated using artificial intelligence.The woman then approached the Byatarayanapura police and lodged a complaint.
The police registered a case,traced the accused and arrested him.Further investigation is under way to recover the remaining jewellery.
