In a shocking development, three individuals have been arrested in connection with a major investment fraud involving the Grihalakshmi Cooperative Society. The scam, which defrauded thousands of depositors, was uncovered in Azara, a locality near Jalukbari, on the outskirts of Guwahati, Assam.
The arrested individuals include Jiten Deka, the founder of the cooperative, Indrani Das, the director, and Sanjeev Deka, the secretary. The arrests follow multiple complaints from victims who allege that the cooperative swindled crores of rupees through deceptive investment schemes.
According to reports, the Grihalakshmi Cooperative Society operated in areas such as Azara, Dharapur, Garal, Bhattapara, and Mirza, and collected large sums of money from thousands of depositors. The society attracted customers with promises of low-interest loans and enticing returns on weekly, monthly, and annual installment schemes. However, when these deposit schemes matured, many customers were left empty-handed, unable to access their promised payments.
One victim shared their experience, revealing that Indrani Das had promised to pay them in two installments, but after months of waiting, the director stopped responding to inquiries and refused to release the funds. Other victims also reported similar stories of being denied payment upon maturity of their policies. One victim, whose policy matured in October 2022, demanded only the return of their principal amount but was also left without any response.
The fraud came to light when victims began filing complaints, claiming that they had been duped by the cooperative’s deceptive practices. Indrani Das is specifically accused of embezzling crores of rupees from numerous depositors. Jiten Deka, the cooperative’s founder, was arrested after failing to respond to demands from frustrated customers.
The Azara Police, along with senior officials from the West Guwahati Police District, launched an investigation into the case, leading to the arrests of the three accused. During interrogation, authorities learned that the cooperative used agents to visit homes and gather large sums from unsuspecting individuals. After collecting deposits, the cooperative allegedly refused to honor withdrawal requests when the investments matured.
The three accused were presented in court and have been remanded to four days of police custody for further investigation. The police are continuing to probe the full extent of the scam and expect more arrests as the investigation progresses.