NEW DELHI: An Assam-based company was allegedly defrauded of more than Rs 11.5 crore by a gang posing as suppliers of goods to the Indian Army. The police arrested a 30-year-old man from Siliguri in West Bengal for his alleged role in masterminding the fraud.The accused, Harsh Agarwal, was arrested following an inter-state operation by a team from Guwahati’s Panbazar Police Station. Police said they uncovered the alleged conspiracy through an investigation involving financial transactions, digital evidence and intelligence gathering. More than Rs 2 crore has so far been frozen in different bank accounts.According to police, the accused exploited an existing business relationship to gain the confidence of Global Traders, a Guwahati-based firm, news agency PTI reported. He allegedly used forged Indian Army supply orders, impersonated Army officers and produced fabricated financial documents to carry out the fraud.Investigators said Harsh introduced his brother, Ayush Agarwal, to the complainant as a distant relative involved in Army supply contracts. This helped the accused allegedly establish credibility and facilitate fraudulent transactions worth Rs 11,50,56,180.
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The case was cracked by a team led by Panbazar police station officer-in-charge Sankar Jyoti Nath. After identifying Harsh’s alleged role, the team tracked him down to Siliguri and arrested him.The case has been registered at Panbazar Police Station under various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Information Technology Act.Police said further investigation is underway to trace the defrauded money, identify other beneficiaries and arrest the remaining accused.