Nagpur: Two Directors of Phoenix Infra Estate International Pvt Ltd, wanted in connection with Rs 200 crore cheating case, were arrested by a team of Bhopal Crime Branch from Nagpur. The accused Directors have been taken to Bhopal for further interrogation.
The arrested Directors have been identified as Vijaykumar Manikram Gautam, a resident of Nagpur and Sudhir Shrawan Budhe, native of Shriram Nagar, Tumsar. A reward of Rs 20,000 each was announced on their head. The two accused were arrested two days back. Four accomplices of the accused are being hunted by the Crime Branch. The arrested Directors have allegedly been accused of cheating hundreds of home dreamers to the tune of Rs 200 crore.
One of the accused Vijaykumar told Crime Branch sleuths that he, along with his two friends namely Jitesh Nashine of Khat Road, Bhandara, and Ahmed Abdul Jivani of Sadar, Nagpur, had opened the company named Phoenix Infra Estate International Pvt Ltd in 2008. Initially, the company built 10 to 20 multi-story apartments and sold them in Nagpur only. In the same year, the company jumped in property dealing business by negotiating an agreement with Indore-based Taranjit Singh and Harman Singh Hora, both residents of Transport Nagar. First they sold 450 plots in the name of Vidyavihar Colony of Sagarkuti (Devalpur). Later, the accused sold 250 plots in the name of Saibagh Colony in Betma. However, after receiving money from the purchasers, the accused duo went absconding and thus cheated hundreds of home dreamers. In Nagpur also, the accused sold 520 plots and defrauded the people. An offence has been registered against them at Dhantoli Police Station.
Gold Rate
09 May 2025
Over 800 people duped:
According to Bhopal Crime Branch ASP Amarendra Singh Chauhan, the Directors of Phoenix Infra Estate International Pvt Ltd and TDS Infra Company, allegedly cheated over 800 people of Indore and nearby areas in the name of plot dealings. The accused sold plots in Indore’s Vijay Nagar, Devalpur, Betma townships. But after pocketing money in crores, the accused neither developed the townships nor gave possession of the sold plots. On the basis of complaints of plot purchasers, Bhopal police registered a case and later handed over the investigation to Crime Branch. The Crime Branch managed to the two absconding accused Vijaykumar Gautam and Sudhir Budhe from Nagpur.
The two accused and other Directors have reportedly duped people in Lucknow and Nashik as well. 120 plots were sold in Lucknow in the name of Phoenix City. Similarly, 220 plots were sold in Nashik in the name of Phoenix City Jamgaon. In Bhopal also, 425 plots were sold by the accused on Hoshangabad Road in the name of developing Phoenix City A-1.
