Nagpur: The Economic Offences Wing (EOW ) of Nagpur Crime Branch arrested a property dealer and booked his assistant for allegedly duping a retired Deputy Director of Town Planning Department of more than Rs 4.47 crore.
The accused have been identified as Balkrishna Babanrao Gavhankar, a resident of Dhantoli, and Smita Madan Zire, a resident of Raghuji Nagar. The accused duo created a fear in the mind of 80-year old Haridas Mahadeo Komalkar, a retired Deputy Director (Town Planning), that his properties would be attached by the Income Tax Department for his failure in fulfilling tax obligations. On the pretext of helping him out in the matter and filing income tax returns, they allegedly took his signature and sold his properties and also the assets of his wife Devyani and son Amol.
The accused duo also availed a loan on his fixed deposit receipts. The duo then transferred over Rs 4.47 crore in their accounts as well as in the accounts of Gurudeo Properties, Varsha Gavhankar and Rekha Gavhankar.
Following a complaint lodged by Komalkar’s son Amol (45), a case under Sections 409, 420, 120 (b) and 506 of the Indian Penal Code was filed against Balkrishna Gavhankar and Smita Zire. Cops later took accused Balkrishna Gavhankar into custody.
Preliminary police investigation revealed that the crime took place when Komalkar’s son Amol was residing in Mumbai. Taking advantage of his old age, the accused sold his properties to some persons and transferred the amount in their accounts through cheques, RTGS and NEFT. Further investigations are being supervised by Deputy Commissioner of Police (EOW ) Archit Chandak.
