The Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) made a significant breakthrough in a Rs 4 crore fraud case involving fake Food Corporation of India (FCI) tenders. The kingpin of the fraudulent operation, Arvind Chauhan, alias Sagar Khandelwal, was arrested on Saturday in Gomtinagar, Lucknow.
Chauhan, a native of South Delhi, was apprehended near the Police Modern School, Vineet Khand. During the arrest, police recovered several forged documents, including two fake Aadhaar cards under the names of Arvind Chauhan and Sagar Khandelwal, a forged FCI identity card, and 96 forged documents related to FCI tenders. Also seized were two mobile phones, a wristwatch, Rs 1,500 in cash, two fake bank drafts, two voter ID cards under the name Najahir Hussain, and a PAN card under the same name.
The arrest followed a complaint filed by Syed Rafat Mueen, a resident of Viram Khand, Gomtinagar, who claimed he was duped of Rs 4 crore by Chauhan and his associates—Abhishek Thakur, Vishal Garg, Abhishek Jain, and Prakash—with promises to secure a Rs 140 crore rice procurement tender from FCI.
ASP Vishal Vikram Singh stated that during interrogation, Chauhan revealed his real name as Najahir Hussain from Bareilly district and admitted to being the leader of an organized gang. This gang had been defrauding individuals by promising government contracts and tenders, using forged and fabricated documents.
The Uttar Pradesh STF is continuing its investigation into the scam, and efforts are being made to apprehend the remaining associates involved in the fraudulent operation.
