Robber poses as IFS officer, dupes company of Rs 36 Cr

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The Economic Offences Wing of Delhi police has arrested a man who impersonated as an IFS officer flaunting red-beacon cars and held meetings at five-star hotels to create an impression that he played an important role in policy-making in the government of India. The accused, Piyush Bandopadhyay, was arrested from Noida after he had duped a company of Rs 36 crore by luring them into a fake deal.

A representative of SRM Mahadeo Smart Bio Toilet Pvt. Ltd. filed a complaint with the Economic Offences Wing against a woman named Shweta Sorout and her husband Piyush Bandopadhyay.

Sorout introduced herself as the India head of Intellectual Innovation Think Tank (IITT) company dealing in selling patent technology to government and non-government agencies all across the world. She claimed her company was in the business of helping get government/non-government contracts.

Sorout claimed her husband Piyush Bandopadhyay was an IFS officer posted in the PMO. She arranged a meeting of the representatives of SRM Mahadeo Smart Bio Toilet Pvt. Ltd. with her husband at Delhi's Ashok Hotel.

In the first meeting, Bandopadhyay introduced himself as an IFS officer working in the government and even produced fake visiting cards purportedly carrying his fake designation and insignia.

He told the representatives that all projects related to Make-in-India, Smart City and solar energy were looked after by him. He claimed he could get any proposal of the company passed by the government.

In order to convince the company about his genuine credentials, he also produced forged documents purportedly issued by the government.

On the basis of the false representations by Bandopadhyay and his wife, SRM Mahadeo Smart Bio Toilet Pvt. Ltd. convinced the Directors of Mitsumi Disributors based in Dubai to purchase patent technology from IITT.

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As per their discussion, an initial amount of approximately Rs 23 crore was transferred by Mitsumi Distributors through SRM Mahadeo Smart Bio Toilet Pvt. Ltd. to the account of Intellectual Innovation Think Tank (IITT).

Later, a few other transactions took place between the conman couple's company and Directors of Mitsumi Distributors. In this way, the total amount transferred to Intellectual Innovation Think Tank was to the tune of Rs.36 crore.

On the basis of the complaint, a case under section 419/420/406/409/120-B IPC relating to cheating and forgery were registered in police station Economic Offences Wing and an investigation taken up.

In order to establish his credentials as an IFS officer Bandopadhyay used to have business meetings in five-star hotels.

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He would arrive for the meetings in a red-beacon fitted car. In order to create an impression about his status as a senior government functionary, he would drop names of senior officials before the clients during business conversations.

He used to highlight recent initiatives of the government as if he had played an important role in policy making.

"Piyush Bandopadhyay has been changing his rented residences quite often. Even before his landlords, he introduced himself as an IFS officer. It is reliably learnt that two more complaints have been filed against him regarding impersonation. On the basis of credible inputs, Bandopadhyay was arrested by the EOW team from his rented accommodation in Noida. The beacon-fitted car used by him for meeting his clients has also been recovered from a hideout. The police have also seized papers of property from the accused procured through the cheated amount," said OP Mishra, Joint CP EOW.

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