Moradabad: A suspected ₹3.70 crore fraud has been reported in connection with the installation and expansion of a cooling system at a mushroom plant in Garhmukteshwar, Hapur. Civil Lines police have registered a case of cheating and forgery on the complaint of Sandeep Khanna, managing director of Autocraft Towers Private Limited, against four people associated with Celsius Refrigeration, a company based in Alwar, Rajasthan. The accused have been identified as Animesh Dosan, Honey Pokhariyal, Chandra Yadav and Pawan Sharma.
According to the complaint, the accused initially installed a cooling system at the mushroom plant for approximately ₹96 lakh. When the system allegedly failed to function properly, the complainant approached the company for a solution. The accused allegedly began demanding additional payments on the pretext of increasing the cooling capacity and improving the plant’s performance.
Additional Payments Began After the ₹96 Lakh Installation
Sandeep Khanna, a resident of Dev Vihar Colony in Civil Lines, said his mushroom plant is located in the Garhmukteshwar area of Hapur district. Since mushroom cultivation requires controlled temperature and environmental conditions, a specialised cooling system was required at the facility.
The company was approached for the installation, following which a cooling system costing around ₹96 lakh was installed. However, according to the complaint, the system did not perform as expected and cooling problems continued at the plant.
When the issue was raised with the company, the accused allegedly claimed that additional cooling capacity would be required. At different stages, they reportedly spoke of adding 66 tonnes of cooling capacity and later increasing the capacity to as much as 200 tonnes.
The complainant alleges that instead of resolving the original technical problem, the accused repeatedly demanded additional money by assuring him that the plant would function properly once the cooling capacity was increased.
Lower-Capacity Coils Allegedly Installed Against Higher-Capacity Bills
One of the key allegations concerns the cooling coils installed at the plant and the documents provided for them. According to Sandeep Khanna, the accused installed coils with a lower actual capacity while providing bills that allegedly showed higher-capacity coils.
The alleged discrepancy was not detected initially, and payments continued to be made on the basis of the bills and technical information provided by the company.
The complainant has also alleged that the accused refused to provide the password required to access or operate the cooling system. This allegedly prevented him from independently checking the system’s settings, technical specifications and operating condition.
Doubts Emerged After a Second Firm Inspected the System
As problems continued and demands for additional payments increased, Sandeep Khanna allegedly became suspicious of the company’s claims. He subsequently approached another firm specialising in cooling systems and arranged an inspection of the equipment installed at the mushroom plant.
According to the complaint, the technical inspection brought alleged discrepancies in the actual capacity and equipment installed at the facility to light. The complainant then compared the equipment with the bills, payment records and technical details supplied by the accused.
He alleges that differences emerged between the equipment actually installed and the specifications reflected in the documents. Khanna has claimed that the accused collectively obtained around ₹3.70 crore from him through various demands linked to the cooling system and its proposed capacity enhancement.
Four Named in Case, Police Begin Investigation
Civil Lines police have registered a case of cheating and forgery against Animesh Dosan, Honey Pokhariyal, Chandra Yadav and Pawan Sharma on the basis of the complaint. The allegations are now being investigated.
Investigators are expected to examine the agreements related to the cooling system, invoices, payment records, bank transactions, technical documents and the actual specifications of the equipment installed at the plant.
The investigation will also seek to establish why different cooling capacities were allegedly proposed at different stages and whether the equipment supplied matched the specifications mentioned in the invoices. Police may also examine the financial trail to determine how the alleged ₹3.70 crore was transferred or received and whether other individuals associated with the company were involved.
The case has raised questions over the verification of technical equipment and invoices in large industrial installations. However, the allegations made in the complaint are yet to be established through investigation and judicial proceedings. The accused remain entitled to due process, and they cannot be treated as guilty unless the allegations are proved in court.
About the author — Suvedita Nath is a science student with a growing interest in cybercrime and digital safety. She writes on online activity, cyber threats, and technology-driven risks. Her work focuses on clarity, accuracy, and public awareness.
