Probe unearths conman’s links to actress Radhika Kumaraswamy

Radhika Kumaraswamy admits to receiving money, says it was for acting in movie
Radhika Kumaraswamy
Radhika Kumaraswamy

BENGALURU: The Central Crime Branch (CCB) police, who had arrested notorious conman Yuvaraj, have found that he had financial transactions with well-known Kannada actress Radhika Kumaraswamy and had even made online transfers to her bank account. Following the lead, the police had summoned the actress’ brother Raviraj last week and questioned him about his links with Yuvaraj, who has allegedly cheated several people to the tune of crores of rupees. The police have also found that the accused had links with other personalities from the film industry.

Reacting to the development, Radhika Kumaraswamy addressed a press conference on Wednesday and clarified that she had received Rs 75 lakh in two transactions from Yuvaraj and his relative in March last year to act in a period movie. “My family knows Yuvaraj for the last 17 years and he is our family friend and astrologer. He was a close friend of my father. I had indeed received money from him. He had told me that he is interested in jointly producing a movie jointly under both our banners. I had advised him to produce either under his banner or mine. He had agreed to produce a movie under his banner,” the actress said.

“He had transferred Rs 15 lakh from his account and later a producer (purportedly Yuvaraj’s brother-in-law) had transferred another Rs 60 lakh to my account at his behest. I didn’t even know the producer and I checked with Yuvaraj, who said the producer is planning a big-budget historical movie. This happened between February and March last year, but the film did not take off. I didn’t check with him again due to the pandemic,” Radhika Kumaraswamy said, adding that she had not entered into any agreement with the producer and had done all the movies based only on trust and not any agreement.

She clarified that apart from the financial transaction related to the movie, she had no other financial transaction with Yuvaraj. She denied reports that the transactions were meant for political purposes. “He had told me on a few occasions that I should meet politicians and also enter politics, but I had told him that I was not interested in it at that point in time. I have met politicians to invite them to my movie-related events, but not with intention like joining politics,” she added.

The CCB police had arrested the 52-year-old Yuvaraj on December 16 based on a complaint by a person who alleged that the former had taken Rs 10 crore from him promising an MP’s ticket. When the police searched his house in Nagarabavi, they had recovered Rs 26 lakh cash and cheques in the name of Yuvaraj worth Rs 91 crore. Claiming that he was a leader in the RSS and had close links with top BJP leaders, Yuvaraj showed his pictures with BJP leaders including JP Nadda, Amit Shah and B S Yediyurappa and allegedly cheated people.

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