High Court Grants Interim Stay on Investigation of Multi-Crore Fraud Accused Roshan Saldanha
Mangalore: In a significant development in the case of Roshan Saldanha, accused of perpetrating fraud amounting to over 200 crore rupees, the High Court has granted an interim stay on the investigation process concerning two specific complaints. The stay pertains to the investigation into allegations of defrauding a businessman from Bihar of ten crore rupees and a resident of Mangalore of one and a half crore rupees.
Roshan Saldanha was recently apprehended by the CEN police in Jeppinamogaru, Mangalore, on suspicion of orchestrating a vast fraud network under the pretense of facilitating loans. Following news of his arrest, numerous business individuals from across the nation have come forward, alleging that they were also victims of Saldanha’s fraudulent schemes.
Among the complainants is a businessman from Bihar who claims to have been defrauded of ten crore rupees. Furthermore, individuals from Assam and Maharashtra have lodged complaints, each alleging a loss of one crore rupees. Before these, a Mangalore resident had filed a complaint stating that he had been defrauded of one and a half crore rupees.
Acting on the initial complaints filed in Mangalore, the police launched an operation targeting Roshan Saldanha, culminating in his arrest at his residence. Authorities discovered that Saldanha had lavishly furnished his home, including the installation of a bar and restaurant stocked with imported liquor. An initial bail application filed in the Mangalore CJM court was denied, owing to the continuous stream of new complaints being registered against him. However, Saldanha’s legal team successfully secured a stay order from the High Court for the two aforementioned cases. Senior criminal lawyer Arun Bangera is representing Roshan Saldanha in Mangalore.
Currently, Roshan Saldanha remains in police custody. With the interim stay granted for two cases, it is anticipated that his legal representatives will petition the court to prevent further arrests and to grant him bail when he is produced in court on Monday. Despite the stay orders, the Mangalore police have affirmed that they will continue their investigation into the remaining cases. Given that cases against Saldanha have been registered not only in Karnataka but also by business individuals from other states, the possibility of additional charges being filed remains. Law enforcement agencies are reportedly taking measures to ensure that the accused does not secure bail, considering the scale and scope of the alleged fraudulent activities.