Three persons have been arrested in connection with a fraud exceeding ₹5 crore at the Karadka Agriculturist Welfare Cooperative Society, which is controlled by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)].
The suspects include Anilkumar from Kanhangad; Ahammed Basheer, a Pallikara grampanchayat; and Gafoor, a resident of Parakalai. The arrests were made by Inspector Sanjaya Kumar P C of the Adhur police.
The prime suspect, K. Ratheesan, a member of the CPI(M) Mulleria local committee and secretary of the cooperative society, remains at large. Ratheesan is accused of defrauding the cooperative society in three ways: illicitly securing gold loans worth ₹1.68 crore using names of relatives and fictitious individuals without collateral, diverting ₹1.96 crore of cash credit to illegal beneficiaries, and stealing gold jewellery valued at ₹1.12 crore from the bank after his fraudulent activities were exposed.