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Indian Express
4 hours ago
- Indian Express
EOW arrests UP ex-BDO for misappropriating govt funds, grains worth Rs 27 lakh
The Uttar Pradesh Police's Economic Offences Wing (EOW) on Sunday arrested a retired block development officer (BDO) for allegedly misappropriating funds under the Sampoorna Grameen Rozgar Yojana during his posting in Uttar Pradesh's Ballia between 2002 and 2005. According to the police, the accused, Dayaram Vishwakarma, was serving as the BDO of Bansdih block in Ballia at the time. 'He was arrested from near his residence in Varanasi. Dayaram had retired as the District Development Officer (DDO) in 2022,' said a police officer. He is accused of misappropriating over Rs 27 lakh in government funds and food grains in collusion with others by using fraudulent and fabricated records, police said. Under the Sampoorna Grameen Rozgar Yojana, the Central and State governments had sanctioned various development works — including road construction, drain construction, repair of pathways, link roads, and other work — in Bansdih block, partially funded by the area panchayat. However, these projects were either left incomplete or carried out substandardly. 'During investigation, fake muster rolls were found to have been prepared and food-grain rations meant for labourers were never distributed,' said a police officer. A case was registered and later handed over to the Economic Offences Wing. Based on evidence collected, the role of 13 individuals was established. 'So far, six people have been arrested in connection with the case,' the officer added.
Time of India
5 hours ago
- Time of India
Ex-BDO held in two-decade-old foodgrain scam
Lucknow: The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) on Sunday arrested former block development officer (BDO) Dayaram Vishwakarma in connection with the Ballia foodgrain scam that occurred between 2002 and 2005. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Vishwakarma was arrested near his residence in Karamjitpur, Sunderpur, under Chitaipur police station limits in Varanasi. He will be produced before a competent court in Varanasi for further legal proceedings. Vishwakarma, who retired in 2022 as district development officer in Sultanpur and had been absconding for years, is accused of misappropriating over Rs 27 lakh in collusion with co-accused individuals by using forged documents and fraudulent practices during his tenure as BDO. Following directives from the director general of police (EOW), a dedicated team led by SP (EOW), Varanasi, was formed to trace and apprehend him. According to the EOW, forged muster rolls were prepared, and foodgrain meant for labourers was not distributed as mandated. A total of 13 people were found to be involved in the case. The accused was booked under multiple FIRs—Case No. 65B/2006 at Bansdih police station and Case No. 57B/2006 at Rewati police station—under IPC sections 409, 420, 467, 468, 471, 120B, 34, among others, and Section 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
New Indian Express
15 hours ago
- Business
- New Indian Express
Hyderabad firm under police lens for Rs 500 crore investment scam
HYDERABAD: Cyberabad police have registered a case against AV Infracon, a Madhapur-based private company, for allegedly duping hundreds of people by promising high returns on investments. While the victims claim the scam could be worth around Rs 500 crore, the complaint states that the cheated amount is Rs 2.5 crore so far. The complaint was initially lodged at the Madhapur police station five months ago. The accused have been absconding since. Recently, the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) took over the case, and statements from several victims were recorded on Saturday. According to one of the victims, the company launched various investment schemes, including buyback and freelance offers, promising 50% returns within a year. 'Many people invested Rs 10 lakh, Rs 15 lakh, and some even invested Rs 1 crore,' the victim said. The company initially returned money to a few investors, which encouraged others to invest. 'Once a large number of people had put in money, they stopped repayments,' he added. In some cases, the company registered plots of land under the buyback scheme, but the land value was reportedly only 20% of the invested amount. 'We urge the Cyberabad Commissioner of Police to take strict action and ensure justice,' the victim said.
Indian Express
2 days ago
- Indian Express
Wanted for over a decade, mastermind of multicrore real-estate fraud arrested from Maharashtra: Police
Wanted for over a decade, the alleged mastermind of a multicrore real estate fraud, who duped thousands of unsuspecting investors from Delhi with false promises of land ownership and high returns, was arrested on Wednesday, said police. In a week-long effort, a team of police officers resorted to disguises, carried out field-level verification, and coordinated with local informers to nab the accused, identified as Dattatray Ganpati Mohite, from Maharashtra's Raigad, said officers. A resident of Karjat in Maharashtra, Mohite has multiple cases of cheating, forgery, and criminal conspiracy filed against him. He was declared a proclaimed offender (PO) in four major FIRs registered with the Delhi Police's Economic Offences Wing (EOW) and one at the Amar Colony police station in South Delhi. A cash reward of Rs 50,000 had also been announced on his arrest. 'The team worked tirelessly for over a week, disguising themselves as local contractors such as carpenters to gather actionable intelligence through multiple sources, supported by technical surveillance. Field-level verification and coordination with local informers revealed the presence of the top wanted criminal in Raigad district in Maharashtra, where he had been hiding to evade arrest for cheating and forgery cases,' said Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch) Sanjay Sain. 'On June 18, after confirming the authenticity of the intelligence, a well-coordinated raid was conducted by the Cyber Cell team in Karjat. The team swiftly moved in and successfully apprehended the accused under Section 35(1)(D) of the BNSS,' he added. The investigation revealed that Mohite was the alleged mastermind behind a multi-crore real estate scam centering on a bogus housing scheme called Pragati Valley Project in the Karjat area of Navi Mumbai. With his firm, Pragati Land & Housing Corporation, and using over 70 fake estate agencies, he allegedly lured thousands of unsuspecting investors from Delhi with false promises of land ownership and high returns, said police. Using forged site plans, allotment letters, and misleading brochures, Mohite collected over Rs 20 crore from prospective buyers via cash and cheques. However, the project never existed, and the company abruptly ceased operations around 2010, with Mohite vanishing along with other directors. According to the police, none of the promised land parcels were ever owned or approved, and no regulatory permissions were secured. The so-called estate firms served only as booking fronts to facilitate the scam. All documents presented to investors were later found to be fake. After his arrest, Mohite was produced before the court in Raigad, where a transit remand was obtained. He will now be brought to Delhi for further legal proceedings related to cheating, forgery, criminal breach of trust, and conspiracy. Further investigation is underway to trace his co-accused, recover assets, and dismantle the wider network that supported his long run from the law, said police.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Mumbai court rejects pre-arrest bail pleas of four directors of realty firm in Rs 600 crore financial fraud case
Mumbai: A sessions court on Friday denied anticipatory bail to four directors of Ecstasy Realty Pvt Ltd in a Rs 600 crore financial fraud case. Additional sessions judge NG Shukla rejected the pre-arrest bail pleas of Pulin Bole, Shivani Verma, Shobit Rajan and Pranav Bajaj. The reasoned order was not made available as yet. The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) had registered an FIR against Ecstasy Realty and its directors based on a complaint by Edelweiss Asset Reconstruction Company Ltd. As per the FIR, Rs 600 crore raised via secured Non-Convertible Debentures for a residential project was fraudulently siphoned off through layered transactions, benefiting promoters and related entities. The accused sought pre-arrest bail claiming they were innocent and contending that the FIR was registered with "the sole intention to harass and humiliate" them. No correct allegations are contained in the FIR, their pleas claimed. The FIR has been lodged after an "inexplicable and unjustifiable" delay for the alleged offence committed between March 2018 and 2023, which suggests the allegations against them are an afterthought and have been falsely fabricated to implicate them, the plea added. The court, however, rejected their pleas.
