Ludhiana: A major corporate dispute in Punjab’s agricultural machinery sector has taken a criminal turn after police in Ludhiana registered a case against five senior officials of an agricultural equipment company, including its Japanese Managing Director, on charges of cheating, criminal breach of trust, and criminal conspiracy. The case centers on four agricultural machines worth more than ₹61.60 lakh that were allegedly taken on a returnable basis for demonstrations and exhibitions but were never returned.
Machines Supplied For Demonstrations
The case was registered at Dehlon Police Station following a complaint filed by Jagjit Singh, a representative of Jagatsukh Industries Private Limited, based in Alamgir village near Ludhiana. According to the complaint, company officials approached Jagatsukh Industries in 2023 seeking specialized agricultural machines for field demonstrations, agricultural exhibitions, and product trials in various states.
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The complainant alleged that the officials assured them that the machines were required only temporarily and would be returned once the demonstration programs and exhibitions were completed. Trusting those assurances, Jagatsukh Industries agreed to supply the equipment without seeking full payment.
Based on the complaint, police have registered a case against Managing Director Munenori Ohta, Deputy Director Takayuki Saito, and company officials Harmeet Singh, Ritwik Das, and Toshio Kondo. The accused have been booked under provisions related to cheating, criminal breach of trust, and conspiracy, and an investigation has been initiated.
Returnable Basis Disputed
According to the complaint, Jagatsukh Industries supplied four ride-on boom sprayer machines through delivery challans that clearly described the equipment as being provided on a “returnable” and “returnable basis” arrangement. The complainant further stated that the terms regarding the return of the machinery were also confirmed through email correspondence between the parties.
The company maintains that ownership of the machines always remained with Jagatsukh Industries and that the equipment was supplied solely for temporary use. The machines were reportedly dispatched to different locations in Haryana and Maharashtra for agricultural demonstrations and exhibitions.
Each machine is valued at approximately ₹15.40 lakh, taking the combined value of the four units to more than ₹61.60 lakh. The complainant alleged that despite repeated requests, reminders, and follow-up communications over nearly two years, the machines were never returned.
Breach Of Trust Alleged
Jagatsukh Industries has argued that had the transaction been intended as a sale, the company would have collected full payment before dispatching the equipment. Instead, the machinery was supplied only because the officials had assured its return after the completion of promotional activities and field demonstrations.
The complaint further alleges that the accused obtained possession of the machines under the pretext of temporary use and later retained them, indicating a deliberate intention to deceive from the outset. According to the complainant, the repeated failure to return the equipment despite multiple demands transformed what initially appeared to be a business arrangement into an alleged act of criminal misconduct.
The matter escalated after the machinery remained unreturned for nearly two years. As a result, the complainant approached law enforcement authorities seeking recovery of the equipment and criminal action against those responsible. The complaint states that several attempts were made to resolve the issue through communication, but no satisfactory response was received.
Investigation Now Underway
Police officials say the investigation is ongoing and that all aspects of the allegations are being examined. Authorities are reviewing documentary evidence, including delivery challans, email communications, and other records connected to the transaction.
Investigators are also attempting to determine the current location of the machines and whether they were intentionally withheld despite contractual obligations requiring their return. Summons are expected to be issued to the accused officials as part of the investigation process.
Officials involved in the probe stated that further legal action will depend on the findings of the investigation. What began as a commercial arrangement between two companies has now evolved into a significant criminal case involving allegations of corporate fraud, breach of trust, and misappropriation of high-value agricultural equipment.
