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Fraud selling govt land for Rs 45 Cr held by Delhi Police

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Fraud.

The Economic Offences Wing of the Delhi Police have arrested a fraudster for illegal sale of government property worth Rs 45 crore, an official said here on Friday.

Furnishing details about the case, which probably seemed ripped from a Bollywood flick ‘Khosla Ka Ghosla’, the official said a complaint was filed by Timpi Sabharwal stating that she was approached by the accused identified as Rockes B. Sandhu and S.P. Garg who offered her a lucrative proposal for selling a land near Karbala, New Delhi for a total sale consideration of Rs 45 crore.

Sandhu had also confirmed having all authority and rights for selling the land in question and induced her to enter into a letter of intent for the same and subsequently, on the basis of his misrepresentation, Timpi paid an amount of Rs 3.19 crore to him as advance money.

“The full and final payment was to be made when the sale-deed was to be executed in favour of the complainant but once he usurped the aforesaid amount, he had lost interest in the deal and never executed sale-deed,” the official said.

After filing the complaint, the police immediately swung into action and started probing the matter.

The first thing the cops came to know was that as per the revenue record, the land in question was government land and was placed at the disposal of the DDA. The police, after getting all these details, constituted a team to apprehend the accused.

The accused was absconding since the registration of an FIR and shifted to places such as Inderpuri, Delhi, Chandigarh and later to Amritsar in Punjab. Thus, a Look Out Circular (LOC) was issued against Sandhu.

Thereafter, on the basis of technical surveillance, the accused offender Sandhu was located nearby the Connaught Place in Delhi and was arrested.

He was later taken to a local court which sent him to three days of police custody.

Sharing details about the accused’s modus operandi, the police said Sandhu used to identify the unoccupied or vacant properties through property brokers and thereafter, float lucrative offers and minimal prices for the property to induce the public.

After taking advance payment, he used to flee away. Deputy Commissioner of Police-III (Economic Offences Wing) K. Ramesh urged the people to take proper measures before investing in any property.

“Before investing in property, do proper verification and due diligence from land-owning agencies with regard to status of property,” he said.

Further investigation of the case is still in progress, the official added.

Crime

ED Registers Fresh PMLA Case Against Anil Ambani, Reliance Communications Over SBI Bank Fraud

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Mumbai: In fresh trouble for industrialist Anil Ambani, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has registered a money laundering case against him, Reliance Communications (RCom) and others over an alleged ₹2,929-crore bank fraud involving the State Bank of India (SBI).

Officials said the ED’s action follows a First Information Report filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) last month. The CBI had named Ambani, RCom and others, including some government officials, accusing them of causing losses to SBI. It had also searched Ambani’s residence as well as RCom offices during its probe.

The SBI had classified RCom and Mr Ambani as “fraud” on June 13 and sent a report to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on June 24.

Reacting to the development, a spokesperson for Ambani said the complaint pertained to matters dating back more than a decade, when Ambani was a non-executive director and not involved in the company’s daily management. “SBI has already withdrawn proceedings against five other non-executive directors. Despite this, Mr Ambani has been selectively singled out,” the statement said.

The spokesperson added that Reliance Communications has, for the past six years, been under the supervision of a committee of creditors led by SBI and overseen by a resolution professional. “The matter remains sub judice before the NCLT and other judicial forums, including the Supreme Court. Mr Ambani has duly challenged SBI’s declaration before the competent judicial forum. He strongly denies all allegations and charges, and will duly defend himself,” the statement said.

With this latest ECIR, the ED’s ongoing investigations into Ambani and his group firms now cover four cases. Apart from the SBI matter, the agency is probing an alleged Rs 3,000-crore loan diversion linked to Yes Bank, involving suspected fund diversions by Reliance Group firms between 2017 and 2019. The probe has included raids at over 35 premises, searches at 50 companies, and questioning of at least 25 individuals.

The agency is also examining suspected loan diversions of more than Rs 17,000 crore by Reliance Infrastructure and other group entities, allegedly routed through inter-corporate deposits. Additionally, charges of fake bank guarantees worth Rs 68.2 crore tied to Reliance Power and Biswal Tradelink Pvt Ltd (BTPL) are part of the broader Rs 17,000-crore loan fraud inquiry.

Agency said that the SBI case involves misrepresentation to secure credit facilities, diversion of loan funds, inter-company transactions, misuse of invoice financing, discounting of bills, and creation of fictitious debtors. The accused face charges of criminal conspiracy, cheating, and criminal breach of trust.

The ED action was triggered by a complaint received on August 18, 2025, from Jyoti Kumar, Deputy General Manager of SBI’s Mumbai branch, referencing a forensic audit report dated October 15, 2020, that identified irregularities in loan utilisation. Investigations are ongoing to determine whether diverted funds were laundered through shell companies or offshore channels.

In the SBI case, it is alleged that the accused, in criminal conspiracy, secured credit facilities from SBI for RCom, misused loan funds, engaged in inter-company transactions, misused sales invoice financing, discounted bills of RCom via Reliance Infratel Ltd., routed funds through inter-corporate deposits, and created/write-off fictitious debtors.

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Crime

Mumbai: 2 Brothers Arrested From Telangana For Stealing INSAS Rifle & Ammunition From Navy Nagar

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Mumbai: In a major breakthrough, the Mumbai Crime Branch has arrested two brothers from Telangana’s Asifabad district for allegedly stealing a INSAS rifle and ammunition from Navy Nagar, a highly sensitive defence area in the city.

The accused have been identified as Rakesh Dubla and Umesh Dubla, both hailing from the same village. Notably, one of the accused is an Agniveer (a soldier serving under the Agnipath scheme). Police have seized the stolen INSAS rifle and cartridges from their possession.

Both accused were hiding in the Naxalite area. Yesterday, around 9 pm, the Mumbai Crime Branch entered the Naxalite jungle as per Telangana SP’s guidelines to nab the duo.

According to investigators, on the night of September 6, one of the accused, dressed in a Navy uniform, gained entry into Navy Nagar. He approached a naval personnel on duty, claiming he had come to relieve him from his shift. Trusting him, the on-duty employee handed over his service INSAS rifle and ammunition. The accused then discarded them outside the compound, where his brother was waiting to collect the weapons.

After securing the INSAS rifle and cartridges, both fled to Telangana. Following a swift investigation and technical surveillance, the Crime Branch traced and apprehended them. The duo are now being brought to Mumbai on transit remand for further interrogation. Police are investigating how the accused managed to obtain the Navy uniform and whether there was any larger conspiracy behind the theft.

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Crime

ED Maintains Pawar Arrest Lawful And Necessary In Money Laundering Probe, Cites Evidence Tampering, Multi-Crore Bribery and Shielding Of Accused Builders

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The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has come out strongly against criticism of its move to arrest former Vasai-Virar City Municipal Corporation (VVCMC) Commissioner Anil Kumar Khanderao Pawar, insisting the action is not only lawful and legal under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) but also absolutely necessary to ensure the integrity of the probe.

The agency alleged  that Pawar played a central role in a bribery and laundering racket running into hundreds of crores and this is backed by builder testimonies, WhatsApp chats, and cash trail analysis.

 According to ED’s findings, Pawar’s name prominently surfaced during the investigation into 41 illegal buildings constructed over nearly 60 acres of government and private land.Statements from builders allege that senior civic officials, including Pawar, allegedly accepted substantial bribes to “turn a blind eye” to rampant encroachments and unauthorized developments. 

The ED has pointed out that Pawar, during his tenure as head of VVCMC’s demolition department,failed to act against illegal constructions despite multiple complaints and even a civil writ petition (CWP) pending before court. Demolitions of 41 unauthorised buildings were carried out only after the direct intervention of the Bombay High Court. According to the agency, this exposes Pawar’s role in shielding builders in exchange for bribes, and “it is incorrect to suggest that he did not receive money from the proceeds of crime.” 

Further scrutiny of WhatsApp chats and financial records revealed that Pawar allegedly received over Rs 17.75 crore from senior VVCMC officer Y.S. Reddy through cash deliveries routed via angadias. At least Rs 3.37 crore was reportedly handed over at a Dadar office to one of Pawar’s relatives. Linking the payments to the sanctioning of multiple construction projects, the ED has estimated the total bribe amount to run into several crores.

The agency says, was a clear attempt to tamper with evidence.On July 29, 2025, ED officers conducted a search at Pawar’s residence.The ED has accused Anil Pawar of actively obstructing investigators during a search operation at his residence on July 29, 2025. The search team, arriving at 6:15 a.m., repeatedly rang the bell for over two hours, but the door was never opened. Both Pawar and his wife allegedly ignored calls, disconnected lines, and even switched off their phones while the ED was outside.

It was only at 8:35 a.m., with the assistance of local police and a locksmith, that the ED team finally managed to gain entry. By then, investigators found that  Pawar had deleted WhatsApp chats and call logs from his mobile phone while officers were waiting outside. Officials say this proves that Pawar was not only aware of the raid but used the delay to tamper with evidence crucial to the money laundering probe. 

“The deletion of call records and WhatsApp data shows deliberate intent to destroy incriminating material. His custodial arrest became inevitable to prevent further obstruction of justice,” an ED official said.

According to ED sources, Pawar’s arrest was “not just legal but unavoidable.” As VVCMC Commissioner until July this year, he wielded enormous administrative authority, influence, and access to confidential files far beyond public reach. Officials said this power created a “grave and reasonable apprehension” that Pawar could misuse his position to influence or intimidate witnesses, including builders, architects, liaison agents, and VVCMC officials, or tamper with vital evidence. Allowing him to remain outside custody could have derailed the probe, enabling him to shield co-accused and beneficiaries while frustrating efforts to trace the full scale of the corruption network.   

According to ED sources  the scale of corruption, running into hundreds of crores in bribes and with possible chances of cross-border fund flows, demands custodial interrogation. Such proceeds of crime may have cross-border implications, potentially leading to the use of laundered money not only in India but also abroad.

According to ED sources Testimonies from builders, architects, and liaison agents suggest that Pawar allegedly collected commissions ranging from Rs 20–25 per sq. ft. of the built-up area as bribe for every project approval,with rates going up to Rs 50 per sq. ft. depending on project complexity and the builder’s financial muscle.This systematic extortion, corroborated by multiple builders, architects, civic officers and liaison agents, ensured that no residential, commercial or mixed-use project in Vasai-Virar could move forward without Pawar’s cut.

In a statement recorded under Section 50 of the PMLA on August 7, 2025, senior VVCMC officer and accused Y.S. Reddy detailed the bribe distribution system allegedly orchestrated by Pawar. According to him, “Municipal Commissioner Anil Pawar would take Rs 20–25 per sq. ft. The Deputy Director of Town Planning (DDTP) received Rs 10 per sq. ft., while Rs4 per sq. ft. went to the Assistant Director of Town Planning (ADTP) / Town Planner, and Rs1 per sq. ft. to the Junior Engineer. For plots above 2,000 sq. m, the file was handled by the ADTP; proposals below 2,000 sq. m were dealt with by the Town Planner.”

The statement establishes that Pawar was not acting in isolation but ran a well-oiled extortion network inside the civic body, ensuring kickbacks trickled down from commissioner to junior engineers.Sources from ED said that this structured bribe chain, corroborated by builders, architects, and liaison agents, confirms the systematic laundering of “commission money” into proceeds of crime, making custodial interrogation under PMLA unavoidable.

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