Srinagar, Aug. 10 -- For a businessman in Kishtwar, it seemed like a safe bet.

But the profits never came. And when he pressed for his money, the conversations, he says, turned into threats.

That complaint, filed earlier this month, set Anantnag police on a trail that led to the arrest of three men on Thursday: Tasaduq Hussain Dar of Sadoora, Mohammad Iqbal Wani of Bumdoora, and Mujeeb Ahmad Koka of Shankerpora.

Police say they were running a network of fraudulent ventures that included fake real estate deals, fruit trade, and the wild garlic business.

"This was not a small-time con," said a senior police officer involved in the investigation. "They worked in layers - building trust, collecting large sums, and then using threats when ...