Cheats businessman of Rs 36 crore
The Delhi Police has arrested a man impersonating as Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer posted at Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) for allegedly cheating Gujarat-based businessmen to the tune of Rs 36 crore.
The accused has been identified as Piyush Bandopadhyay, a resident of Noida in Uttar Pradesh.
According to O P Mishra, the Joint Commissioner of Police, Economic Offense Wing (EOW), a complaint was received by the representative of SRM Mahadeo Smart Bio Toilet Pvt. Ltd. In which they alleged that they met Shweta Sorout wife of Piyush Bandopadhyay.
“Shweta Sorout introduced herself as the Indian head of Intellectual Innovation Think Tank Company engaged in selling Patent Technology to Government and Non-Government agencies all across the world. She also projected that her company is involved in providing Government and Non-Government contracts,” said the Joint CP.
“Shweta claimed that her husband Piyush Bandopadhyay is an IFS officer presently posted in Prime Minister Office. She subsequently arranged a meeting of the representatives of the company with her husband Piyush in Ashoka Hotel,” said the Joint CP.
“Piyush informed the representatives that all projects related to Make-in-India, Smart City, Solar Energy, etc. were looked after by him. He claimed he could get any proposal of the company passed by the government. In order to convince the company about his genuine credentials, he also produced forged documents purportedly issued by the government,” said the Joint CP.
“On the basis of the false representations by Piyush Bandopadhyay and his wife, the company convinced the Directors of Mitsumi Disributors, an NRI company (based in Dubai) to purchase the patent technology from Intellectual Innovation Think Tank (IITT). A total amount transferred of Rs 36 crores was transferred to Intellectual Innovation Think Tank,” said the Joint CP.
“A case under relevant sections of Indian Penal Code (IPC) was registered at EOW police station and Piyush was arrested from his rented accommodation in Noida. The beacon fitted car used by Piyush for meeting his clients has also been recovered from a safe hide out. Police have also seized papers of property from the possession of the accused procured through the cheated amount,” said the Joint CP.
“Two more complaints have also been filed before the Central Investigating Agency regarding his impersonation,” the Joint CP added.
Explaining the modus operandi of the accused the Joint CP said that in order to give an impression about his coveted status of senior government functionary, he would get the phones of all the visitors and clients deposited beforehand.
“He was very fluent in dropping names of high officials before the clients during business conversations. He used to highlight recent initiatives of government as if he had played an important role in policy making,” the Joint CP added.