Bengaluru
A Mysuru-based restaurateur has alleged that he was duped of over Rs 3 crore in a land scam by a man who posed as an executive of Infosys and convinced him to invest in a purported land deal in Attibele.
The complainant, Bharath CS (32), told police that he was introduced in early 2025 to the accused, Gagandeep alias Gangan N Deep (31), a resident of Chikkaballapur, through a mutual contact. The meeting reportedly took place during a visit to the Assistant Commissioner’s office.
According to the complaint, Gagandeep claimed to be a regional head in Infosys’s corporate social responsibility division. Bharath said he cross-verified the claim through a relative of a state minister, which made the offer appear credible.
Soon after, Gagandeep allegedly pitched a lucrative deal involving 53 acres of land in Attibele, claiming it belonged to Infosys and could be acquired at a discounted price through insider access. Bharath said he even saw a newspaper advertisement regarding the sale and was encouraged to participate in a bidding process.
Following instructions, Bharath emailed CBRE, the consultancy handling the deal, and submitted a bid form. The accused later claimed that officials had refused to waive a Rs 5 crore deposit, but assured Bharath he would arrange the funds.
Subsequently, Gagandeep allegedly sought an urgent transfer of Rs 35 lakh to an account linked to Kishan Constructions. Bharath transferred the amount in two instalments. Police said the transactions later became more complex, involving multiple bank transfers and demand drafts routed through Bharath’s firm, Anitha Ventures.
Bharath also alleged that the accused encashed a Rs 1 crore demand draft in the firm’s name without his consent and collected over Rs 2.2 crore from a charitable trust without his knowledge. Additionally, he claimed to have handed over Rs 25 lakh in cash near Hoskote toll plaza.
The accused later went incommunicado, prompting Bharath to approach police on April 24 after learning that a cheating case had already been registered against him.
Police said Gagandeep has been arrested in another fraud case involving Rs 6 crore and that over Rs 2 crore has been recovered. Further investigations are underway, with additional cases registered in other cities.
