The Central Bureau of Investigation has arrested five accused, including an alleged kingpin, in connection with the multi-crore Loni Urban Multi-State Credit and Thrift Cooperative Society scam in Uttarakhand. The case concerns allegations that more than one lakh investors were duped through unregulated deposit schemes, with deposits estimated at around ₹800 crore.
CBI Arrests Five in LUCC Scam
According to the agency, the arrested accused have been identified as Sushil Gokhroo, Rajendra Singh Bisht, Tarun Kumar Mourya, Gaurav Rohilla and Mamta Bhandari. They were arrested from different locations across the country as part of the ongoing investigation into the LUCC chit fund scam.
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The CBI said the scale of victimisation was unprecedented, with more than one lakh investors estimated to have deposited around ₹800 crore in the schemes. The case relates to the Loni Urban Multi-State Credit and Thrift Cooperative Society, known as LUCC.
High Court Transfer and Legal Action
According to the report, the Uttarakhand High Court’s Nainital bench had transferred all FIRs related to the LUCC scam to the CBI in 2025. Following this, a case was registered on November 26, 2025, under various sections of the IPC, BNS, the Uttarakhand Protection of Interests of Depositors Act and the Banning of Unregulated Deposit Schemes Act.
Investigators said a large number of investors in Uttarakhand were allegedly lured into investing in various unregulated deposit schemes floated by LUCC. While some partial repayments were allegedly made, the fraud amount is estimated to exceed ₹400 crore.
Absconding Accused and Asset Trail
The CBI said the investigation is being carried out on a day-to-day basis, and a special team has been constituted to trace and track the accused using technical surveillance and source-based intelligence.
According to the agency, the main accused in the case, Sameer Agrawal, and his wife Saniya Agrawal have absconded abroad. Lookout notices and circulars have been issued against them.
The investigation has also revealed that several immovable properties were allegedly acquired by the accused using proceeds of crime generated through the scam. Details of these properties have been shared with the secretary for finance in the Uttarakhand government, with a request to freeze the assets and initiate steps for distribution to victims under provisions of the BUDS Act, 2019.
The arrested accused were being produced before the competent court, while further investigation in the case is continuing.
