A fake Bengal government tender and 1 lakh pairs of shoes: How a Surat businessman was cheated of nearly Rs 7 crore
Two men have been arrested for allegedly cheating a Surat businessman with a ‘West Bengal State Livelihood Mission’ tender for supplying shoes to government employees.
Praveen Dhaduk told the police he supplied 1 lakh pairs of shoes worth Rs 4.50 crore and delivered the consignment to an address given by the accused. (Image generated using AI)
Two men have been arrested for allegedly cheating a Surat businessman of nearly Rs 7 crore by luring him to supply over 1 lakh pairs of shoes to the ‘West Bengal State Livelihood Mission’. Four other accused are still absconding.
The arrests by the Economic Offences Wing were made after Praveen Dhaduk, a resident of Mota Varachha in Surat, lodged a complaint at the Ashwani Kumar police station on Tuesday, naming Kishor Vaghela, Semes Nochel, Sayan Sen, Subhash Singha, Indrajeet Sengupta, and Sanjeev as the accused.
In his complaint, Dhaduk alleged that Vaghela met him and shared details of a fake ‘West Bengal State Livelihood Mission’ tender issued by the government for supplying shoes for government employees in West Bengal. The tender amount was shown as Rs 35 crore, with a 16 per cent commission to the middlemen for getting the tender approved.
Dhaduk alleged that between February 28, 2023, and February 6, 2024, he held meetings with all the accused and also spoke to them over the phone to get the tender in his favour. After getting the fake tender order in his name, Dhaduk allegedly made a part payment of Rs 2.49 crore, at different time intervals, to Sengupta. He also supplied 1 lakh pairs of shoes worth Rs 4.50 crore and delivered the consignment to an address given by the accused.
According to Dhaduk, when he sought payment, the accused started giving different excuses to delay the payment. When all attempts failed, Dhaduk said he approached the police.
Acting on the complaint, the EOW arrested Vaghela, 55, a resident of Rander and native of Bhavnagar, and Nochel, 50, a resident of Dindoli who hails from Kerala.
Talking to The Indian Express, G A Sarwaiya, Assistant Commissioner of Police, said, “On the basis of the cheating complaint, we have arrested two accused while four others are still absconding and they will be arrested soon. The accused had lured the complainant into giving a fake letter of tender for supplying shoes and cheated him.”
Kamal Saiyed is a senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, providing extensive, on-the-ground coverage from Surat and the broader South Gujarat region and the Union territories of Daman, Diu & Dadra Nagar Haveli. With a reporting career at the publication spanning back to 2007, he has established himself as a high-authority voice on the industrial, social, and political pulse of one of India’s fastest-growing urban hubs.
Expertise
Industrial & Economic Beat: Based in the "Diamond City," Saiyed offers expert reporting on the diamond and textile industries. His work tracks global market shifts (such as De Beers production changes), local trade policies, and the socio-economic challenges facing the millions of workers in Surat’s manufacturing hubs.
Civic & Infrastructure Coverage: He consistently reports on urban development and public safety in Surat, including:
Traffic & Urban Planning: Monitoring the city's 13-fold increase in traffic violations and the implementation of new municipal drives.
Public Safety: Investigative reporting on infrastructure failures, fire safety NOC compliance in schools and commercial buildings, and Metro rail progress.
Political Reporting: Tracking the shifting dynamics between the BJP, Congress, and AAP in South Gujarat and the neighboring Union Territories (Daman, Diu, and Dadra & Nagar Haveli).
Crime beat: Armed with a good source network Saiyed has been able to bring out the human side of crime stories in his region ... Read More
