Mangaluru conman dupes Rs 500 crore, arrested from mansion with secret chambers

In a midnight operation, Mangaluru City Police arrested Rohan Saldanha, a conman from Jepinamogaru area, who is accused of defrauding wealthy businessmen of crores of rupees through elaborate fake loan and land deals. The raid was carried out by a team led by Police Commissioner Sudheer Kumar Reddy and Assistant Commissioner of Police Ravish Nayak, who uncovered a maze of secret chambers and concealed doors inside Saldanha’s opulent residence.

Saldanha allegedly promised business loans worth up to Rs 500 crore and lucrative real estate investments. Victims were asked to pay advance sums ranging from Rs 50 lakh to Rs 4 crore, ostensibly for processing fees and legal clearances. Once the payments were made, Saldanha would cut all contact and disappear. One of his bank accounts reportedly recorded over Rs 40 crore in transactions in just three months, suggesting the actual scale of the fraud may be much larger.

The raid revealed that Saldanha’s mansion was custom-built to conceal rather than reveal. The police found rare ornamental plants worth Rs 3–5 lakh each, a private stash of vintage champagne and exotic liquors, and secret rooms camouflaged behind walls and cupboards. Surveillance systems with high-definition cameras covered every part of the property.

Saldanha used hidden exits and escape routes to avoid confrontations with creditors. Investigators found doors embedded into bedroom walls that led to underground corridors and concealed staircases, allowing him to slip away unnoticed. These features enabled him to monitor visitors from his surveillance room and evade contact whenever needed.

The accused is believed to have deceived several individuals across India by flaunting wealth and claiming connections to financial institutions that could sanction loans up to Rs 600 crore. He would often impress prospective victims with displays of power and access, before ghosting them once payments were made.

Police said an investigation is underway to determine how he funded and sustained the operation. They are also probing possible links to larger financial crimes, including money laundering. A First Information Report has been filed, and officers have appealed to other possible victims to come forward.

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