3 fraudsters arrested for duping Noida-based firm with fake supply order

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaSeptember 25, 2024

Three members of a fraudster gang were arrested by the Crime branch of Guwahati Police for defrauding a Noida-based firm of Rs 4 crore. The group had used a fake work order, purportedly from the Adivasi Welfare and Development Council (AWDC), to deceive the company into supplying bed sheets and pillow covers.

The arrested have been identified as: Ashim Kumar Das (41), son of Bhubon Kumar Das, H/No: 20, KK Handique Path, Sarumotoria, Down Town (he is one of the kingpins of the gang); Birinchi Borkotoki (61), son of Durgaprasad Borkotoki, 29, Block A, Pragjyotish Housing Colony, Ghoramara (he impersonated as the joint secretary in the government of Assam); Niranjan Das (39), son of Uma das, House No. 28, Mohini Chowk, Japorigog (he arranges passes for entry into the secretariat campus and also arranges for sitting space for organising fake meetings in the secretariat).

They have been charged under Crime Branch Police Station case number 13/2024, invoking sections 178/179/180/308/316/318/336/340/351/61 of the BNS for their involvement in a large-scale fraud.

Ashim Das, a key member of a gang of fraudsters, impersonated a representative of the Adivasi Welfare and Development Council (AWDC). He and his gang have been defrauding businessmen by showing fake work orders and convincing them to participate in fraudulent supply contracts.

During the investigation, it was revealed that Ashim Kr Das, along with his associate Birinchi Borkotoki, who impersonated BN Sarma, a joint secretary of the AWDC, and other associates, including Deba Prakash Bhagawati (already arrested by CID in another fraud case), orchestrated these fraudulent activities.

The gang’s most recent scam involved a Noida-based company, Prontastic IT (Pvt) Ltd, which they cheated out of approximately Rs 4 crore by issuing a fake work order for the supply of 75,000 bed sheets and pillow covers for BPL families under the guise of a contract with the AWDC, Assam.

The investigation uncovered that Ashim Kumar Das and Deva Prakash Bhagawati manipulated Sunny Brezza and his brothers, proprietors of Prontastic IT (Pvt) Ltd, by presenting a fake work order in the name of the Adivasi Welfare and Development Council (AWDC) for the supply of bed sheets, pillow covers, and other materials. The initial work order shown by the accused was valued at a staggering Rs 250 crores, promising contracts for supplying various materials to the council.

The accused persuaded the victims that they could secure the contract without formally participating in the tender process, claiming that the accused would handle the tender-related procedures. They also enticed the company with assurances of substantial profit margins from the deal.

Believing the fraudulent promises, the victims expressed interest in the supply contract and opted to initially take on a portion of the supposed contract — the supply of bed sheets and pillow covers — amounting to around Rs 4 crore. This fraudulent activity forms the basis of the current investigation and legal action against the perpetrators.

As part of the elaborate scam, the informant, Sunny Brezza, was taken by Ashim Kumar Das and Deba Prakash Bhagawati to the Assam Secretariat in Bhagawati’s Fortuner vehicle for what turned out to be a fake official meeting with impersonated senior officials. The informant was made to sit in a conference hall, where the same person who had earlier introduced himself as the joint secretary of the Adivasi Welfare and Development Council (AWDC) arrived to conduct a discussion with the informant and his brother.

During this staged meeting, the fake joint secretary handed over a purchase order and work order for supplying bed sheets and pillow covers worth around Rs 4 crores to the informant.

To further the scam, the accused then demanded Rs 85.4 lakh from the informant as security deposits for the contract, which was transferred through the bank accounts of the accused.

Believing the legitimacy of the transaction, the company, Prontastic IT (Pvt) Ltd, dispatched the articles from Noida to Guwahati in multiple trucks. Upon arrival, the trucks were directed to a godown in Changsari, where all the goods were unloaded. The gang effectively manipulated the victims by creating a false sense of authenticity through fake meetings and documentation.

After the delivery of the articles, the accused individuals began avoiding the informant, Sunny Brezza, which raised suspicions about the legitimacy of the deal. As a result, the informant filed a complaint with the police, prompting an investigation.

The investigation revealed that Niranjan Das, a broker responsible for arranging entry passes into the Assam Secretariat, and several other individuals were part of the fraudulent operation. One key associate (whose name has not been disclosed for investigative reasons) was responsible for preparing fake documents such as work orders, sanction letters, MoUs, sample orders, and delivery challans using counterfeit seals and stamps of the Adivasi Welfare and Development Council. Another undisclosed person arranged for the selling off of the delivered articles, while another individual (also not disclosed) acted as an advocate and brought businessmen into fraudulent contracts.

The fake documents used to deceive the informant, including the work order and purchase order, have been seized by the authorities and confirmed as counterfeit. Additionally, the police have scrutinized bank transaction details, which reflect transactions between the complainant and the accused.

It was also revealed that the gang was involved in another case, Case Number 182/2024, under sections 120(B)/406/419/420/468 of IPC, registered with Dispur Police Station. In that case, they defrauded Manpho Exports, a company based in Bangalore, by issuing a fake work order for supplying GR items to the Assam Disaster Management Authority, causing a loss of Rs 3.77 crores to Lalit Parikh, the informant from Manpho Exports.

The investigation is ongoing, and authorities believe the gang may have defrauded several other businessmen using the same modus operandi. Further details are expected to emerge as the investigation progresses.