German woman claims Kerala business partner duped her

By IANS

Thiruvananthapuram : Kollen Scharfenberg alias Agamia, a 52-year-old woman from Munich, Germany, Monday said here that she has been duped of Rs.3.5 million by her Keralite friend and business associate Ajith Kumar.


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“We became friends on my visit to Kerala in 2006. I first helped him when he wrote to me in 2006 that he wants to start a restaurant near the Kovalam beach, and I gave him Rs.700,000. When I returned that year, he gave me a car for my use,” Agamia told reporters.

Their friendship blossomed and Agamia agreed to become a partner in a company that Kumar floated.

“In March 2007, he asked me for money to buy a small rubber plantation. Since Kumar was nice, I instantly agreed and sent him Rs.3.5 million,” she said.

Agamia’s counsel B. Sukumaran told IANS said that on her current visit to Kerala she asked Kumar to show her the rubber plantation several times but he ignored her requests.

“Today also we went to his house but nobody was there. There has been no word from Kumar since Dec 24 and he is not answering phone calls. She is extremely worried because she handed over all her savings to him. She has complained to the police commissioner here,” Sukumaran said.

Revatha Chandrasekhar, commissioner of police, told IANS that Agamia had Jan 1 submitted a letter detailing how Kumar had duped her.

“In her letter, she said she only wants her money back and nothing else. We have forwarded the letter to the concerned police station,” said Chandrasekhar.

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