An FIR in this case was registered in 2014 and was part of the nine FIRs registered by the EOW in what was then collectively termed as the “fixed deposit scam”, in which several organisations were duped using the same modus operandi.
The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Mumbai Police has arrested two persons for allegedly duping a Delhi-based public health foundation of over Rs 22 crore by posing as bank officials and using forged documents. An FIR in this case was registered in 2014 and was part of the nine FIRs registered by the EOW in what was then collectively termed as the “fixed deposit scam”, in which several organisations were duped using the same modus operandi.
The accused were booked on charges of cheating, forgery and criminal conspiracy and the case was transferred to the EOW. The EOW on Monday arrested Arunkumar Mudaliar (32) and Rahul Gohil (36). “The duo was produced before the court of Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate A P Kulkarni and were remanded in police custody till April 21,” said an EOW officer.
An officer associated to the case said the Gohil had allegedly approached the financial manager of the Delhi-based foundation in November 2013, posing as the manger of the Malad branch of a government bank. As per the complaint, Gohil promised the manager high returns on FDs invested in his branch. Accordingly, the organisation is believed to have paid Rs 25 crore through RTGS.
Police said the accused then allegedly approached the Malad branch, this time, claiming to be employees of the Delhi organisation, and deposited the Rs 25 crore as FD. “They kept the original FD receipt with themselves and sent a forged receipt to the organisation by post as proof,” an officer said. The accused then allegedly opened an account in another bank using forged documents and managed to get an overdraft of Rs 22.32 crore on the basis of the FD receipt of Rs 25 crore.
This amount was then allegedly siphoned off by transferring it to various accounts. After the organisation found out about the fraud, it approached the police, leading to an FIR being lodged in the case. After the EOW began investigation, it found several fake documents that were used by the accused to give an impression that they were employees of the organisation and had the necessary permission to make the investment. The Malad-based bank, where the Rs 25 crore was invested, told the investigating team that they do not sent FD receipts by post but hand it over to the person who makes the payment.
