Health Ministry official loses Rs 31 lakh in investment fraud
New Delhi: In a shocking incident, a senior official from the Health Ministry was allegedly duped of Rs 31 lakh by a self-proclaimed currency market investor on the pretext of doubling the amount within a year.
The accused, Praful Bhat, a resident of both Nashik, Maharashtra and Noida, Uttar Pradesh, is alleged to have lured Anand Chaturvedi, the complainant, into investing in a supposed high-return currency trading venture, news agency IANS reported.
The complaint, lodged at Lodhi Colony Police Station, under the South district jurisdiction of Delhi Police, details a disturbing trail of financial manipulation, broken trusts, and threats.
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An official said that Praful Bhat approached the senior government official in July 2023 with a tantalising offer - invest Rs 25 lakh and receive double the amount within a year.
Trusting Bhat, whom he had known from some time back, Chaturvedi and his family transferred funds from their personal accounts, including contributions from his wife and widowed mother.
The official said that the total investment ballooned to Rs 31 lakh after Bhat claimed a financial crunch and extorted an additional Rs 6 lakh, promising an extra Rs 1 lakh in return.
All funds gathered in the name of investment were purportedly siphoned off to other accounts by the accused, as stated by the complainant, which clearly establishes the intention to defraud since the very inception.
He said that the complainant claims Bhat threatened him and his family with dire consequences if they pursued repayment.
“The complaint hints at a broader scam, naming another victim and suggesting that Bhat and his accomplices may have defrauded multiple individuals. Funds were allegedly diverted by the accused to his other accomplices and partners, raising suspicions of criminal misappropriation and breach of trust,” the official said, reports IANS.
He said that Chaturvedi has urged the Delhi Police to investigate the matter under suitable sections of the BNS and BNSS with a demand for a thorough probe into Bhat’s financial dealings and alleged accomplices.
“An FIR has been registered in the matter, but the accused is yet to be traced,” he said.
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