HYDERABAD: Though primary investigation into graphic designer Asha Kiran Maleti’s involvement in a Rs 1.18 crore fraud, and her subsequent arrest, revealed that she pulled it off on her own, police are planning to probe the case further and find out if more people are involved in the case.
Asha Kiran, who worked on several Indian and foreign films including the mega hit multi-lingual flick Bahubali, was arrested for cheating a city-based realtor Rama Rao to the tune of Rs 1.18 crore. Investigations revealed that she had committed an earlier offence with the helps of some Nigerian nationals, this time she managed to pull off on her own and managed to loot a hefty sum from the victim.
It is also learnt that her eloquence in English and communication skills played a vital role in impressing and cheating the clients. While her husband is away from her, due to a pending court case, her only daughter stays with her and is studying first year graduation, police said. Police also suspect that contrary to Asha Kiran’s claims that she masterminded the fraud on her own, she was guided by unidentified persons. Police are planning to seek her custody to verify more details and check if more persons were involved in the multi-million rupee fraud.
“She could have conceived this idea, while working for some Hollywood flicks in the USA with a similar backdrop and waited for the right time and succeeded,” investigators said.
Associates kept in the dark
Back in 2013, Asha Kiran along with four Nigerian nationals was involved in an online lottery fraud, where they looted Rs 17 lakh from four merchants, after luring them to take part in a foreign lottery worth more than a million US dollars.
They were arrested and sent to prison but were later released on bail. Recently after cheating a neighbour at Chaitanyapuri, she moved to Nagole and made plans to trap big shots. Police also found that after meeting Rama Rao, her agents were also kept out of the loop about the proceedings. Though she promised commission to them, she never made the payments, said police.