Notorious fraudster Santosh alias Bunty Rampal Shahu, once again landed in police custody after being caught in another major cheating case. Shahu, who has a history of deceiving people and government departments with forged papers, this time targeted the Nagpur Improvement Trust (NIT). Using fake documents and false identities, he and his brother allegedly grabbed a valuable government plot meant for social use of Shahu Samaj. The Crime Branch arrested him on Sunday. According to the complaint filed by Pravin Sureshrao Dekate (53), Property Secretary-II, Nagpur Improvement Trust (NIT), the accused Bunty Shahu and Jayesh Rampal Shahu allegedly cheated the government by submitting fake documents and forged signatures to illegally obtain a public/semi-public land plot in Mouza Chikhali (Devasthan), measuring 1463.04 sq. mtrs., meant for community use.

 

The land was originally approved in 2009 for the construction of a Samaj Bhavan (community hall) for the “Shahu Samaj Health Education Society, Nagpur.” However, investigations revealed that Bunty and Jayesh Shahu, both residents of 271, Small Factory, area, Sudarshan Chowk, Bhandara Road, Lakadganj, posing as the President and Secretary of the society, submitted forged documents and fake signatures of real office bearers to the NIT and entered into a registered agreement on July 11, 2017. Further inquiry confirmed that Mukesh Jaydev Shahu, whose name appeared as Secretary on official papers, denied ever holding that position or signing any such letters. It was also found that the accused had used a fake letterhead of the organization to obtain approval and registration of the land in their favour and even managed to get property tax records altered accordingly.

 

Based on these findings, the Sadar Police Station registered a case under Sections 319(2), 318(4), 336(2), 336(3), 338, 340(2), and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). the Crime Branch arrested Bunty Shahu from his residence on Sunday. The accused were produced in the court and remanded to two-days police custody. Police said that further investigation is underway to trace the involvement of other accused persons and determine how Government approvals and registrations were obtained using forged documents.