Mangalore: Mangaluru police have arrested Rohan Saldanha, a high-profile conman accused of masterminding a multi-crore fraud operation, during a dramatic midnight raid at his luxurious home in Jeppinamogaru. The 37-year-old had allegedly duped numerous businessmen by posing as a politically connected financier and promising massive business loans in return for hefty upfront payments.
Investigators said Saldanha crafted an elaborate scheme that involved luring victims with promises of ₹500–600 crore business deals. He claimed to have close links with top industrialists, bureaucrats and politicians. Victims were required to pay “advance processing” fees ranging from ₹50 lakh to ₹4 crore to access these fake loans. Once payments were made, he would disappear or cite legal delays.
The probe revealed that one of Saldanha’s bank accounts recorded transactions amounting to over ₹40 crore in just three months, suggesting the scale of the fraud was far larger than initially believed.
The police raid on his palatial bungalow uncovered an astonishing array of concealments. The house was fitted with secret rooms, underground chambers, concealed staircases, escape routes, and sliding doors hidden behind cupboards. The entire property was under tight CCTV surveillance, which allowed Saldanha to monitor all visitors and allegedly evade confrontations or raids.
Police described the residence as an “illusion mansion,” with ornamental plants worth several lakhs, vintage liquor collections, and luxury interiors—all designed to impress and manipulate potential victims. Officers also found legal-looking documents and forged paperwork used to build credibility.
Multiple FIRs have been registered against Saldanha—two in Mangaluru and one in Chitradurga. Authorities have urged more victims to come forward. The investigation is now expanding into potential links to money laundering and other accomplices who may have aided the elaborate scam.
Commissioner Sudheer Kumar Reddy, who supervised the operation, described it as one of the most sophisticated financial frauds uncovered in the city. “He built an empire on illusion,” a senior officer involved in the case told Hindustan Times.
The arrest has exposed not just the scale of financial deception but also the degree of psychological manipulation and planning behind it. Police are now examining how Saldanha managed to sustain his operations over several years without detection and whether others in his network may have played a role.
