While Kodagu is reeling from the disaster of incessant rains and landslides, a man has allegedly set up a fake flood relief account to collect money from people. On Monday, the Kodava Samaj submitted a letter to the Central Crime Branch, alleging that miscreants had set up a fake flood relief account in the Samaj’s name and was collecting money from people.

“A bank account number claiming to be that of the Kodava Samaja has been doing the rounds on Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp in the name of flood relief,” police said. They added that the Kodava Samaja had requested that the fake account be blocked until further investigation.

According to the police, a man named Vijay Sharma is said to have been behind the fake account. The CCB nabbed Vijay Sharma from Mandya and took him in for questioning on Monday evening.

“He opened an account in State Bank of India Padmanabhanagar under the name CP Vijay Baby and is said to have collected Rs 60,000 in the name of Kodava Samaja Flood Relief Fund. He also put up posts from his Facebook profile that the Samaja had created a new account and money could be donated to this account as well. He also put up posts on Twitter and WhatsApp asking for the donations to this fake bank account,” the police said.

The Kodava Samaja has now requested people not to send money to fake accounts and only send it to the Kodava Samaja’s Canara Bank account in the Vasanth Nagar branch.  

“It is horrible that people are misusing the situation when so many people in Kodagu are in distress and are suffering,” said Subaiah, secretary of Kodava Samaja.

Police say the Vijay had only Rs 200 in his personal bank account and no money was withdrawn from it. Vijay Sharma has been booked for cheating by the CCB.

Kodava Samaja has requested to credit donations to Kodava Samaja Flood Relief Fund Bengaluru, A/c No: 1370101084312, IFSC Code CNRB0001370 at Canara Bank, Vasanth Nagar.