Royal Setup, Luxury Furniture And Secret Chambers: How Karnataka Conman Easily Trapped Businessmen, Industrialists | India News
Mangaluru Police was recently shocked after it started an investigation into a multi-crore scam case where big businessmen and industrialists were trapped by a conman. The findings were shocking. Police were startled and the victims were in fear. The trap was simple. The bait was luxury. On offer were huge business and personal loans. Victims were influential, and the chances of getting caught were minimal.
Police have arrested a 45-year-old man identified as Rohan Saldanha, who posed as a high-level financier, trapping big industrialists on the pretext of providing them a high-value chain. What Mangaluru Police thought to be a dark hideout for criminals, turned out to be a luxurious home with secret chambers.
After a victim filed a complaint, Mangaluru Police arrested Rohan Saldanha—a man now at the center of a massive financial scam. Investigators believe he may have cheated dozens more. The scale of his operation is only beginning to emerge.
Saldanha posed as a wealthy financier. His trap? Offering massive loans—sometimes over Rs 100 crore—at dirt-cheap interest rates.
#WATCH | Karnataka | Police conducted a raid at the residence of fraudster Rohan Saldana and detained him, late last night in Mangaluru pic.twitter.com/Wy02JnRm2W
— ANI (@ANI) July 18, 2025
His base of operations was a palatial bungalow in Jappinamogaru, Mangaluru. The opulence wasn’t just for show. It was a prop to lure high-net-worth individuals and entrepreneurs into his web.
He would invite them over, flash luxury, and promise easy money. To make it look legal, he even introduced a fake lawyer—using the name of a well-known legal expert from the region. Clients would speak to this “lawyer” for document checks and formalities.
Then came the bait—pay stamp duty, registration fees, and other charges. Some handed over crores. One victim paid Rs 10 crore. Once he had the money, Saldanha vanished.
Police raids at his mansion revealed a shocking setup. Behind expensive furnishings and royal interiors were hidden passages and secret rooms. Closets led to concealed chambers—likely built to help him escape or lie low during investigations.
In just a few months, authorities estimate he swindled Rs 40–50 crore. The actual amount over the years could be far higher.
So far, three FIRs have been filed—two in Mangaluru, one in Chitradurga. But officers believe many victims are still silent—either out of fear, shame, or both. The man who lived like a king is now being hunted like a fugitive. And the true extent of his scam may be even darker than imagined.
