Delhi builder held on charge of duping 455 investors

A Delhi builder was arrested on charge of duping 455 investors in the national capital and other places, police said on Tuesday.

"Accused Manoj Bhardwaj, a director of Arun Dev Builders, is wanted in nine cases," Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Nupur Prasad told IANS.

Bhardwaj, in his early 50s, was arrested from his residence in Raju Park area of Neb Sarai in south Delhi.

The accused was in the real estate business for the last 22 years and lured people with throwaway prices of property, the police officer said.

"He used to put up his company's board in different cities where he took his prospective customers along to hoodwink them," the officer said.

He had lured people by showing them his alleged projects in Faridabad, Gurgaon and Rewari in Haryana; Kotputali and Shahpura in Rajasthan; Pul Pehlad Pur, Ali Gaon and Chhatarpur in Delhi; and Haridwar in Uttarakhand.

Information regarding Bhardwaj's arrest has been conveyed to various district commissioners in Delhi to ascertain whether more complaints against him have been lodged there.

Police said several complaints against Bhardwaj were lodged in police stations in Gurgaon, Faridabad, Dharuhera and other places in north India.

Interestingly, the accused had constructed over 35 temples in various places to earn money from offerings and donations by devotees.

--IANS

aks/tsb/dg