A case of alleged fraud involving ₹20.35 lakh has come to light in Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi district, where a local resident was reportedly cheated by three individuals from Delhi on the pretext of securing a government tender for medicines and surgical items.
According to the complaint filed at Sadar Police Station, the victim, Rajesh Kumar, a resident of Sauli Khad in Mandi, runs a wholesale business of medicines and surgical supplies. He alleged that in February 2025, he was introduced to Arun Kumar, who later connected him with another accused, Ajay Kaushik, claiming they could facilitate government tenders through the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) portal.
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The accused allegedly assured the complainant that they could secure a government supply contract for hospital furniture and related items. Trusting their claims, the victim transferred ₹20 lakh in February 2025 into bank accounts belonging to two different firms linked to the accused.
However, despite the payment, no government tender or supply order was issued. When the complainant later sought clarification, he was allegedly misled with fake emails and fabricated documents to maintain the illusion that the process was underway.
Police sources said that another associate, Jagdeep Singh, also allegedly demanded and received an additional ₹35,000 under the pretext of processing a government order, but no contract was ever delivered.
The complainant stated that he was continuously misled for nearly a year with false assurances and manipulated communications. Eventually, he realised that he had been defrauded and approached the police with a formal complaint against Arun Kumar, Ajay Kaushik, and Jagdeep Singh.
Following the complaint, police have registered a case of cheating and begun investigation into the alleged financial transactions, communication records, and bank accounts used in the fraud. Authorities are also verifying whether more individuals were involved in the racket and if similar scams have been carried out using government tender promises.
Officials said the investigation is in its initial stage and further action will be taken based on documentary and digital evidence. The case adds to a growing number of frauds where scammers are exploiting government procurement systems like GeM to target small traders and business owners by promising lucrative contracts in exchange for upfront payments.
