Mumbai: Suspect booked in cheating case held after absconding for 5 years

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A 55-year-old suspect who had fled to Singapore after being booked in a Rs 3.5 crore cheating case was arrested by Azad Maidan police on Wednesday. The suspect identified as Hem Shah was detained by the immigration officials at Ahmedabad airport on August 13 owing to a lookout circular (LOC) that had been issued in 2019. Immigration officials informed the Azad Maidan police which then took custody of Shah from the immigration officials at Ahmedabad airport.

According to the Azad Maidan police, the case was filed by Sharadkumar Kejriwal in 2019 on behalf of his private firm, alleging that Shah duped them out of Rs 3.5 crore. Kejriwal claimed that through Shah, they had ordered brass and copper from two private firms. However, upon delivery at their godown in Panvel, they were shocked to receive cement packets. As Kejriwal's office was located in south Mumbai under the jurisdiction of the Azad Maidan police, he filed an FIR against Shah, a foreign national residing in Indonesia identified as Ramendra, two private firms and the transport company, alleging that all parties conspired to cheat him to the tune of Rs 3.5 crore.

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"Since the accused were in foreign countries, solving the case seemed unlikely, and thus the closure report in the form of an A summary was filed before the 37th Esplanade court," the Azad Maidan police said while presenting the accused in court.

After the crime, Shah allegedly fled to Singapore, where he managed to obtain citizenship. Since the accused had been untraceable for five years, the Azad Maidan police filed a closure report known as ‘A' summary, which indicated that the allegations were true but could not be pursued further. "Such cases are reviewed periodically. Since the likelihood of solving the case was slim, it was closed, but the LOC against the accused was kept open. As soon as he landed in India, he was arrested, and the case was reopened," a senior officer said.

After Shah was arrested and produced before the court, the police informed the court that they had followed procedures laid down by the Supreme Court and his custody was necessary to uncover information regarding the money he had received from Kejriwal.