Varanasi: Three people have been arrested in Varanasi for allegedly defrauding a saree businessman of nearly ₹3 crore by falsely claiming ownership of a property belonging to the Ministry of Defence and attempting to sell it using forged documents. Investigators allege that the accused entered into a deal worth around ₹3.20 crore, even though the property could not legally be sold as private real estate.
Defence Property Sold As Private Asset
The arrested accused have been identified as Meera Arora, Rachna Arora and Rajkumar Bajpai. Police said Sonam Agrawal and Kanika Mohle remain absconding, and search operations are underway to trace them.
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The case was registered following a complaint by Varanasi-based saree businessman Anand Krishna Agrawal. According to the complaint, the accused represented Barkat Bhawan, located in Neel Cottage Colony, as privately owned property and offered to sell it for ₹3.20 crore.
The complainant alleged that he initially paid ₹1.50 crore through cheques and RTGS transfers. Investigators further claim that the remaining amount was paid in cash, taking the total payment to nearly ₹3 crore.
Forged Documents Under Probe
According to the complaint, the accused executed an agreement to sell and assured the buyer that the property would be released from a bank mortgage before the sale deed was executed.
However, later verification of municipal records allegedly revealed that the building belonged to the Ministry of Defence and therefore could not legally be transferred or sold by private individuals.
The complainant alleged that the accused deliberately concealed the property’s true ownership and used forged documents to complete the transaction and obtain the money. He further claimed that when he demanded a refund, he was allegedly abused and threatened.
Money Trail Being Examined
The investigation is now focused on the alleged forged documents, ownership records, banking transactions and money trail. Investigators are also examining whether the fraud is linked to a larger organised network involved in similar property scams.
Renowned cybercrime expert and former IPS officer Prof. Triveni Singh said buyers should always conduct independent legal verification of ownership records, government databases, revenue documents and title deeds before purchasing any property.
He said fraudsters involved in property scams often rely on forged ownership documents and fabricated agreements to deceive buyers. According to him, forensic examination of documents and detailed analysis of banking transactions are crucial to uncovering such financial crimes.
Police said the three arrested accused are being questioned, while efforts to trace the remaining suspects continue. Investigators are also carrying out forensic examination of seized documents and analysing bank accounts and digital evidence to establish the complete conspiracy.
