Cheated in the name of donkey milk

Victims of a franchise scheme, now being referred to as the ‘Donkey Milk Scam’ which has impacted hundreds across Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu, came forward on Friday to recount their ordeals and highlight substantial financial losses. Lured by promises of big profits from donkey milk sales, many invested lakhs, only to face severe setbacks.

Speaking to the media on Friday, Sai Babu, a native of Guntur in Andhra Pradesh and currently working in Bengaluru, narrated his ordeal. He and three acquaintances from Kuppam invested in a franchise known as Donkey Palace, drawn in by its claims of high returns through the sale of donkey milk. He revealed that one U.Babu, a proprietor from Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu, had collected ₹56 lakh from him as investment.

“Initially, he provided returns for three to four months, but eventually, stopped paying,” Sai Babu said and accused U. Babu of leveraging farmer networks to promote the scheme fraudulently.

Other victims echoed similar experiences of being misled by Donkey Palace.

Realising they had been duped, they said they turned to public representatives. They appealed to Telugu Desam Party general secretary Nara Lokesh and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin for intervention. Some victims also reached out to Bharat Rashtra Samithi MLA K.T. Rama Rao for help.

Ramadevi, one of the victims, spoke about the emotional and financial strain on her family. With her daughter suffering from severe health issues, their depleted finances now prevent her from affording essential treatment.

Despite seeking action from the Central Crime Station, the victims said they were advised to file individual complaints at their local police stations. 

Published - November 16, 2024 08:01 am IST