Shillong, June 21: Police have cautioned people not to fall prey to a cheating racket targetting business people.
According to West Garo Hills SP Abraham Sangma, based on the information received from the victims and the FIR filed by the Secretary, GHADC, Tura on May 7 , West Garo Hills Police managed to locate and identify the members of an organised cheating racket involving the use of suspected fake work orders and forged documents purportedly issued by the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC), Tura.
On June 11, around 11 pm, information was received that certain fraudsters involved in cheating the suppliers from different parts of the country had visited Tura with the intention of defrauding a businessman from Gujarat on the pretext of arranging a work order for supply of materials and were meeting at Guwahati. Acting upon the information, a police team led by the Additional Superintendent of Police, West Garo Hills, proceeded to Guwahati, Assam, on June 12 to verify the information and laid a trap. During the operation, five suspects were detained from Greenwood Hotel, Guwahati and arrested
Another suspect namely Reeturaj Kaundinya was picked up and arrested from Tezpur, Assam by a team led by CI (Sadar) and OC, Tura PS, West Garo Hills District.
Details of arrested persons
The details of the arrested accused persons are as follows:
1 Narendra Singh, 46 years S/o: Shri N.B. Singh, R/o: Patharkuari near Glacier School, PS: Sathgaon, Dist: Kamrup, Guwahati, Assam
2.Taposh Mukherjee, 45 years, S/o: Shri Tarapada Mukherjee, R/o: Sainik Colony, Sector Faridabad 49, PS: N.I.T, Dist: Faridabad Haryana
Dip Hazarika, 53 years, S/o: Lt. Benuram Hazarika, R/o: Zoo Narangi Road, Geetanagar Chinakipath, PS: Geetanagar, Dist: Kamrup (M), Guwahati, Assam
Mridupaban Gogol, 40 years, S/o: Lt. Biren Gogoi, R/o: Borphukankhat near Juria Namgarh Golaghat, Bamborahi Guwahati, Assam.
Kokkal Dutta, 58 years, S/o: Lt. A.K. Dutta, R/o: A.K. Path, Bongaigaon, PS: Abhaypuri, Dist: Bongaigaon Guwahati, Assam
Reeturaj Kaundinya (50 yrs), S/o (L) Mahesh Ch Sharma, R/o B.S. Road, Kolibari, PO & PS Tezpur Dist. Sontipur Assam
During the course of enquiry, a suspected fake work order purportedly issued by the Office of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council, Tura, along with related documents of terms and conditions and Rs. 50,000 were recovered from the possession of the accused persons including a suspected fake Trading by Non-Tribal Licence purportedly issued by GHADC, Tura, in favour of Om Sai Sarees, Surat
All the documents and articles were duly seized in accordance with law in presence of independent witnesses. Preliminary investigation has revealed that the accused persons had allegedly cheated the victim of Rs. 3,00,000 lakh.
It has also come to light that they were planning to further cheat the victim by demanding 4% commission on a purported work order worth approximately Rs. 46 crore. The accused persons were intercepted and apprehended while processing the deal. The recovery of suspected forged work orders, licences and other documents points towards the existence of an organized criminal network engaged in cheating innocent persons and business establishments by creating and using fake government documents to gain unlawful financial benefits, the police said.
In this connection, a criminal case has been registered at Tura police station and investigation is underway to ascertain the involvement of other persons and to identify additional victims connected with the racket.
The West Garo Hills police advised all suppliers, contractors, traders and members of the public to verify the authenticity of any work order, tender document, licence or government communication directly from the issuing authority before making any payment or entering into any business transaction. “Members of the public are also requested to immediately report any suspicious offers or demands for advance payments etc. at the nearest Police Station, Out Post, Beat House, or the Police Control Room (PCR), Tura, through the following mobile numbers: +918837423053, +917005530510, +919089199064”, the police added.
