The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Delhi Police has arrested a person for impersonating an IFS officer and cheating a businessman to the tune of Rs 2.39 crore.

According to Delhi Police, the accused person, who has been identified as Piyush Bandopadhyay, used to pose as an IFS officer for luring and convincing his clients.

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The police said that the same man was arrested for impersonating an IFS officer and cheating a Gujarat-based businessman of Rs 36 crore in September last year.

The Delhi Police had received a complaint wherein the complainant had said that he was approached by one Daya Shankar Mishra with a business proposal under the Make in India programme. The complainant said that the person who had approached him had claimed that he was close to some senior officials in the Central government and would use his influence to get his work done.

The complainant told Delhi Police, “Mishra introduced me to one Shweta Sorout and her husband Piyush Bandopadhyay at the Ashoka Hotel. Sorout introduced herself as the country head of Intellectual Innovation of Think Tank (IITT), claiming that she could arrange more funds for waste management in the Northeast part of the country.”

“Under the inducement and misrepresentation, the complainant had transferred Rs 24.26 lakh into the bank account of IITT. To gain trust, the alleged persons provided a forged letter of intent, purportedly issued by the DIPP, Udyog Bhawan, government of India. Then, a tripartite agreement with the government of Nagaland and the Dimapur Municipal Council was executed and a land measuring 27 acres was taken on lease for 33 years in Dimapur for a waste management project,” the Delhi Police said.

Subsequently, a patent licence agreement was submitted by Bandopadhyay and Sorout to the complainant, but the patent technology was not transferred even after obtaining the aforesaid land.

However, despite investing huge funds as per the directions of the accused persons, they were not received under the Make in India programme.

“The alleged persons caused wrongful loss of Rs 2.39 crore to the complainant company (including investment, opening offices, executing agreement, purchasing machines etc.). From the enquiry carried out and based on the contents of the complaint, prima-facie offence was made out,” the police said.

Subsequently, a case was registered under the relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code.

The police said that during investigation, it was revealed that Bandopadhyay used to pose as an IFS officer. The police have also recovered visiting cards and fake letters bearing the name of the accused person as an IFS officer.

“The accused was also involved in a case last year wherein he had duped a Gujarat-based businessman using the same modus operandi. He was arrested and sent to judicial custody. The crime proceeds have already been frozen. Further investigation is under process,” said R.K. Singh, Additional Commissioner of Police, Economic Offences Wing, Delhi Police.