Ggn EOW probing over 250 plaints of white collar fraud filed since 2015

Gurugram: A reply to a recent RTI application has revealed that since 2015, the Economic Offence Wing (EOW) of Gurugram Police has received 256 complaints of white collar crimes, involving frauds of Rs 978,37,18,640.

The RTI, filed by social activist Harinder Dhingra, further highlights that as of November 2018, 84 complaints involving frauds of Rs 668,11,79,484 are currently being investigated.

A cause of worry is that though many cases are being investigated by the EOW, numerous of cases that come to the department are often rejected as not being an economic offense on technical grounds.

According to law enforcement officials, if the EOW receives around 50 cases, only one or two cases are in the end taken by the department after thorough analysis.

In order to resolve the issue of rising number of cases and to reduce the huge backlog, Gurugram Police had earlier decided to increase the strength of officers in the EOW. Moreover, investment is being poured in to provide train officers with technical, financial and IT training to officers.

Among the major complaints being investigated by the EOW are real estate frauds, stealing money from investors by creating of shell companies, and cyber crimes.

"Earlier, there used to be crimes related to forging of documents to selling properties in Gurugram. Now, the scenario has changed and criminals have become more shrewd to carrying out such crimes.

"Just this year, there was a case where a plot was sold to multiple buyers and the sellers went absconding. It is unfortunate, but most of the educated criminals are using their knowledge of IT to dupe people," said a senior official of Gurugram Police.

Of late, cases have also been reported where numerous shell companies have successfully duped a large number of investors in the city.

In March, the EOW unearthed a group of fraudulent companies listed under Shree Ram Business Solutions, which used to entice investors by claiming healthy returns on the investment.

The group was found to have expanded its business in not just to Gurugram but to other parts of the country too.