Two women constables charged for running chit fund scam of Rs 1.87 crore in J&K

Jammu, Dec 15: The J&K Police on Friday filed a charge sheet in the court against 2 women constables for running a chit fund scam of Rs 1.87 crore.

In a statement, the Crime Branch said that a 382-page charge sheet was filed against women constables Nirmal Kour Saini and Arti Sharma for hatching a criminal conspiracy and cheating the complainant, along with other co-employees of IRP 15th Battalion of Rs 1,87,64,000.00 after luring them on the pretext of hefty returns for investing money and gold with them.

"The conspiracy was unearthed after an enquiry report by the Commandant concerned said that Nirmal Kour Saini of IRP 15th Battalion had taken an amount of Rs 1 lakh each from the complainants fraudulently on the pretext that they would get interest of Rs 5,000 per month on the invested money.

"Neither such interest nor the principal amount was paid back by the accused to the complainants and thus the accused had cheated them and misappropriated their money."

The enquiry further revealed that the accused Saini, in connivance with her husband Mohinder Singh Saini, and woman constable Sharma, posted in security wing, had collected a huge amount of cash and gold not only from the complainants, but also from other women officials of the 15th battalion and security wing too illegally after alluring them with high rate of interest besides arranging gold loan facilities, but had deposited the cash with some finance company and gold with Manappuraam Bank, Satwari, Karan Market Jammu for their personal use, thereby cheating and duping fellow officials and misappropriating the collected amount to the tune of Rs 1.50 crore and about 300 grams of gold.

"During the course of Crime Branch investigation, it was also found that accused also started business of electronic gadgets and furniture items at Battalion headquarters against monetary benefits to win over the confidence of innocent investors.

"During the course of investigation all material evidence in the form of documentary record was collected from the quarters concerned besides statements of complainants and witnesses were recorded and offences under Sections 420, 404, and 120 were established against both the accused for cheating and duping the complainants and other co-employees of the Battalion of their hard earned money.

"Preliminary charge sheet has been produced against the accused while further investigation continues in the case."