A contractor and five others have been booked for allegedly duping a local businessman of ₹56 lakh on the pretext of offering a 50% partnership in a National Highway toll collection project with a promised return of one-and-a-half times the investment within six months. The Civil Lines police have registered a named FIR against Brijesh Pandey, his brother Shailesh Pandey and four associates following a complaint by the victim.
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Scam Approach and False Credibility
According to the FIR, the complainant, proprietor of a civil contracting firm based on PD Tandon Road, was approached by Brijesh Pandey, who introduced himself as a toll collection contractor. Pandey allegedly claimed that a tender had been floated for toll fee collection on the Naini bridge section of NH-30, covering Umrapur, Mungari and Hari locations, with an annual remittance value of ₹69.40 crore. He further asserted that his firm, SB Multiservices, held a 50% stake in the project.
To lend credibility to the proposal, Pandey allegedly arranged meetings with two individuals presented as authorised office-bearers of a Udaipur-based firm, Coral Associates, which was said to have secured the toll contract. The complainant was told that investment routed through SB Multiservices would yield a 1.5x return within six months due to the high daily toll collection volume.
Payment, Default and Verification Failure
Police said the victim transferred the money in two instalments after being shown purported project documents and revenue projections. However, when the promised deadline passed, neither the returns nor the principal amount were paid back. Repeated follow-ups allegedly yielded evasive responses.
Suspecting foul play, the complainant approached the National Highways authority to verify the project details. The inquiry revealed that no contractual agreement or authorised partnership had been executed by Coral Associates for toll plaza collection at the locations mentioned. Investigators said this disclosure confirmed that the investment proposal was fabricated.
Police Action, Ongoing Investigation and Safety Tips
Based on the complaint, a case has been registered under sections related to cheating, criminal breach of trust and conspiracy. Police said the role of the remaining named accused, including those who allegedly posed as company representatives during the meetings, is being examined.
Preliminary findings suggest that the accused used forged documents, inflated revenue figures and false claims of official partnerships to create an impression of a high-value infrastructure project. Investigators are also tracing bank transactions to determine how the funds were routed and whether similar investments were collected from other victims.
Police sources indicated that the accused targeted individuals with business backgrounds, projecting the scheme as a low-risk, high-return infrastructure investment linked to government toll operations. The promise of fixed, time-bound returns was used as a key inducement.
Officials said notices are being issued to the accused and custodial interrogation may be sought if required. Efforts are also underway to identify any shell entities or mule accounts used to receive the funds.
Investigators have advised investors to independently verify government-linked project claims through official tender portals and concessionaire records before committing funds, especially when assured returns and partnership stakes are offered without formal agreements.
The probe is ongoing to establish the full extent of the fraud, identify additional victims and determine whether the accused operated a broader investment racket using fabricated infrastructure projects as bait.
About the author – Ayesha Aayat is a law student and contributor covering cybercrime, online frauds, and digital safety concerns. Her writing aims to raise awareness about evolving cyber threats and legal responses.
