Three Arrested for Allegedly Seeking ₹2.40 Crore to Release Contractor’s Government Dues
Police allege that three men promised a contractor they could use high-level government contacts to release more than ₹17 crore in pending dues in exchange for ₹2.40 crore.
ITANAGAR: A contractor awaiting more than ₹17 crore in long-pending government payment allegedly became the target of an attempted ₹2.40 crore fraud after three men claimed they could use influential government contacts to facilitate the release of the dues, police said.
The accused have been identified as Toluk Lombi, Dubi Ete and Rajesh Kumar Singh. Police said the three allegedly approached the contractor and assured him that his pending government payment could be cleared in return for ₹2.40 crore.
The alleged fraud centred on claims of access and influence. According to police, the accused allegedly tried to convince the contractor that Rajesh Kumar Singh had high-level contacts in the Central government and could use his influence to facilitate the release of the pending payment.
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The contractor was subsequently allegedly given a letter claiming that the outstanding government payment had been cleared. However, when he approached the office of the Chief Engineer of the Rural Works Department (RWD) to verify the document, officials informed him that the letter was not genuine.
The alleged use of a purported official clearance letter became a key element of the case, prompting the contractor to report the matter to police. Investigators subsequently began examining how the document was prepared and how it was presented to the contractor as an authentic government communication.
A case was registered at Naharlagun Police Station under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
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The case also saw a legal development before the latest arrest. Rajesh Kumar Singh had approached the court seeking cancellation of the FIR, but the court rejected his plea on August 13, allowing the police investigation to continue.
Police subsequently travelled to Guwahati, where Singh was arrested on August 25. He was later remanded to six days of police custody.
With all three accused now under arrest, investigators are examining the alleged individual roles of Lombi, Ete and Singh in approaching the contractor, demanding money and using the purported clearance letter.
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Police are also examining whether the accused may have previously approached other contractors or individuals with similar claims of being able to secure government payments, tenders or administrative approvals through influential contacts. This aspect remains part of the investigation.
Investigators are examining alleged communications between the accused, relevant documents and financial transactions that may be connected with the case. Police are also seeking to establish whether the three acted independently or whether others could be involved.
The case has prompted police to caution contractors and members of the public against individuals who claim to have high-level government connections and demand money in exchange for getting official payments, tenders or administrative matters cleared.
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Authorities have advised people to independently verify such claims with the concerned government department and to authenticate any letter, approval or payment-clearance document through official channels before acting on it.
The investigation is continuing to establish the complete sequence of events, the alleged financial dealings and the precise role of each accused.
