Chandigarh police arrest two for fraudulently withdrawing Rs 1.33 crore from NRI’s account

The police said the two are the members of an interstate gang, which was involved in fraudulent transfers of crores of rupees from several bank accounts in Gurgaon, Delhi, MP and Punjab.

3 min readChandigarhDec 6, 2018 09:08 AM IST

Chandigarh police arrest two for fraudulently withdrawing Rs 1.33 crore from NRI’s account

Two accused were arrested in the case of NRI settled in California. (Express photo by Jaipal Singh)

THE CHANDIGARH Police on Wednesday arrested two Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, residents — Mahesh Malli and Rajesh Upadhaya — in connection with fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 1.33 crore from the Non-Residential Ordinary (NRO) account of a US-based NRI, Dr Ajay Sood.

The police said the two are the members of an interstate gang, which was involved in fraudulent transfers of crores of rupees from several bank accounts in Gurgaon, Delhi, MP and Punjab. In Chandigarh, the involvement of the gang was came to light in two cases, in which gang members withdrew around Rs 1.87 crore from the accounts of NRI Dr Ajay Sood and from the account of one Sulakshana Devi, a retired government employee, in July 2018.

The two accounts were in Bank of India, Sector 17. Rs 53.50 lakh was withdrawn from the account of Sulakshana Devi. Two accused were arrested in the case of NRI settled in California. Mahesh Malli and Rajesh Upadhaya were brought to the district courts, Sector 17, on production warrants by the MP Police and later, the UT Police arrested them. They were remanded in six-day police custody. In MP, they were lodged in Ujjain jail.

Earlier, the police arrested four men — the owner of Bablu Cycle Services, a franchise of a leading cycle brand in Mehidpur in Ujjain, Mukesh Kumar, along with Sachin Yadav of Gurugram, Satish Yadav of Mahendragarh in Haryana, and Avinash Prajapati of Ujjain — in this connection. All four are currently lodged at Model Burail jail.

Police sources said, “The mastermind of the gang is still absconding. The mastermind, whose identity cannot be disclose, used to pay them commission ranging from Rs 50,000 to Rs 3 lakh. The arrested people were aware of the facts that their bank accounts were being used in the crime.”

DSP (EOW) Sukhraj Katewa said, “Police investigation reveals the gang members used to clone the confidential details of account holders. Cloned details included the procuring duplicate cheque books and the signatures of account holders. In the case of Dr Ajay Sood and Sulakshna Devi, accused procured the duplicate cheques of the NRI doctor and woman, and transferred the amount in two instalments with fake signatures of the complainant. The mastermind of the gang is still absconding. We are also verifying the role of Bank of India staff members. So far, no involvement of bank employees has come to light.”

Saurabh Parashar

Saurabh Parashar is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, primarily responsible for the publication’s coverage of Himachal Pradesh. He is a seasoned journalist with over 17 years of experience in print media, specializing in crime, legal affairs, and investigative reporting. Professional Background Education: He holds a Master’s degree in Mass Communication from Guru Jambheshwar University of Science & Technology (Hisar) and a Law degree from Himachal Pradesh University (HPU), Shimla. This legal background significantly informs his reporting on complex judicial and administrative matters. Career Path: Before joining The Indian Express in 2017, he spent 12 years with The Times of India. Core Beats: His primary focus is the socio-political landscape of the hill state, with a specific emphasis on the environment, forest conservation, drug menace (specifically "Chitta"), affairs related to tribal and archaeology and the unique challenges of governance in high-altitude regions. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) His recent reporting highlights the critical intersection of policy, law, and social safety in Himachal Pradesh: 1. "Himachal’s battle against Chitta: Why the border areas are most vulnerable" (Late 2025): An investigative look at the transit routes from Punjab and the impact on local youth. 2. "Shimla ropeway clears key hurdle as 820 trees face the axe :According to the Forest Survey of India’s 2021 assessment, 47.21 percent of Shimla’s 5,131 sq km geographical area is under forest cover (Nov 17, 2025). 3. "Himachal to handover 2.7427 ha of non-forest land for Shimla Ropeway: Given the land’s non-forest nature, RTDC and the state will not require permission from MoEFCC" (Nov 18, 2025) 4. "How the centuries-old Jodidara tradition is fading in Himachal’s Trans-Giri region: Jodidara: a form of fraternal polyandry—has long been part of Hatti tribal culture in the Trans-Giri region of Himachal Pradesh and adjoining Uttarakhand. It is believed to have evolved to prevent division of ancestral land and maintain unity among brothers in the harsh, mountainous terrain" (Aug 18, 2025) Legal & Agricultural Affairs "Kisan Sabha hails SC’s setting aside Himachal HC order to remove orchards from forest land" (Dec 18, 2025): Covering a major Supreme Court victory for farmers, where a High Court order to remove fruit-bearing apple orchards was overturned. "Himachal Cabinet nod to new tourism policy; focus on home-stays in tribal areas" (Dec 11, 2025): Detailing the legislative push to decentralize tourism and bring economic benefits to Lahaul-Spiti and Kinnaur. 3. Governance & Environment "Forest rights and development: Why Himachal is seeking more leeway from Centre" (Dec 19, 2025): Reporting on the legal hurdles faced by the state in infrastructure projects due to the Forest Conservation Act. "Cloudbursts and resilience: How Himachal’s remote villages are building back better" (Nov 2025): Following up on the long-term rehabilitation efforts after monsoon-related disasters. Crime especially cyber crimes, crypto currency etc: crypto currency: "Agents in uniform, motivational speeches, lavish parties: How a Himachal crypto con went unnoticed:A serial conman, a ‘Nelson Mandela Nobel Peace Award winner', and retired policemen got together to pull off a Rs 1,740-crore fraud" (Nov 10, 2023) Signature Beats Saurabh is recognized for his tenacious reporting on the state's drug epidemic. His deep familiarity with the topography and tribal culture of Himachal allows him to report from remote locations like Spiti, Pangi, Shillai, which are often overlooked by national media. His legal expertise makes him a primary choice for covering the Himachal Pradesh High Court on issues ranging from local body elections to environmental PILs. X (Twitter): @saurabh_prashar . ... Read More

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