Mangaluru : The Mangaluru city police have arrested Pruthviraj Shetty alias Munna, 25, of Ujjodi, on charges of cheating some traders by issuing them fake trade licences and property tax receipts of Mangaluru City Corporation.
Balakrishna Suvarna, the owner of Shri Raj Durga Furniture Works, went to the corporation office recently to obtain records pertaining to his shop. However, he was shocked to find out that the trade license and property tax receipt of his shop had expired, despite having the latest property tax receipt and trade license for the year 2025-26, for which he had paid Rs.27,990 to the accused, according to the police.
After receiving copies of the fake property tax receipt and trade licence from Mr. Suvarna, the MCC Commissioner filed a complaint with the Kankanady Town police seeking action against those who were behind the fake documents.
The MCC Commissioner also filed another complaint with Barke police seeking action against persons who have issued fake trade licences and property tax receipts to Devang K. Patel, the owner of Lakshmi Hardware Works.
The police said Mr. Shetty was reportedly at large following the two complaints. On a tip-off, the Kankanady Town police secured him from a hideout in Kinnigoli on July 25.
On inquiry, Mr. Shetty told the police that his father worked as an accountant in Devang Patel’s shop. Following ill health, Shetty replaced his father in the post. Devang Patel and his friend Balakrishna Suvarna had given money to Mr. Shetty towards charges for property tax and renewal of a trade licence.
Mr. Shetty logged into the MCC portal and downloaded the property tax receipt and trade licence for 2024-25. He used the third-party application to change the year on the documents to 2025-26 and gave those certificates to Mr. Patel and Mr. Suvarna, the police said.
The city police have asked traders to approach police if they have been cheated in a similar way.
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