Kundapur : Kundapur police were successful in apprehending Baby Shedti who had cheated several poor women of lakhs of rupees after  availing deposits from them  in the name of a non-existent Self Help Group. The woman was produced before the court and remanded to judicial custody till March 6.

Sources said Baby, wife of Sudhaker Shetty of Nandikeshwara Nilaya of Korgi was absconding since December last year ever since her bungling came to light.

Police have now seized    Rs 94,000 in cash, 32 passbooks, 20 voter id cards, a stamp pad and two seals from the accused.

It is said she won the confidence of women in her village and other nearby villages  by inducting them as members to her SHG and then  convened regular meetings. She collected Rs 5,185 as deposit and an additional Rs 100 every month from each of the members and promised to return Rs 32000 after five years. She it is said had fleeced women of lakhs of rupees during the past two year period.

The bungling stood exposed when one of the member took her passbook to the SCDCC Bank branch at Tekkatte when officials said it was a fake pass book. During interrogations, Baby said she had lent Rs 73,000 to a  person named Rajashekhar Shetty and some others.

Investigations are underway.