AHMEDABAD/JAIPUR: You don’t move around with Rs 2 crore cash in the boot of your car, unless you are Ashok Jadeja, an ayurveda practitioner accused of swindling his own community — the Chharas — of Rs 1,600 crore. His victims are spread across 11 states.
As police complaints started pouring in in at least three states — Gujarat, Maharashtra and Rajasthan — Jadeja and his wife Nita were finally arrested on the basis of a tip-off by CID (economic offences), on Sunday near Shyamal Crossroads in Ahmedabad. Officials recovered a sack stuffed with Rs 2 crore cash from the boot of Jadeja’s car.
Jadeja reportedly duped the Chhara community — a denotified tribe in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan Haryana, Delhi, Jammu Kashmir and Uttar Pradesh — promising to double their investments within a few days with his divine powers.
RK Patel, DSP, CID (crime) told TOI, “The fraud could touch Rs 100 crore, according to our estimate. We have received complaints of Rs 10 crore from Gujarat.”
In Jaipur, at least 27 complaints were lodged against Jadeja in three separate police stations. While Jaipur’s Sanganer police station has registered complaints worth Rs 2.12 crore, officials in Churu district of Rajasthan have received complaints amounting to Rs 20 crore.
While Chhara community leaders in Rajasthan have accused Jadeja of swindling the community of Rs 1,800 crore, in Gujarat the community has alleged in a complaint before Gujarat minister of state for home Amit Shah that the racket could run up to Rs 1,600 crore.
Jadeja duped Chharas, including builders, businessmen, lawyers and even police officials, by claiming to be blessed by Sikotar Mata, a local deity whose temple was right next to his dispensary. Initially, he accepted investments of Rs 500 and 1,000, and returned triple the amount.
As word spread, Chharas from across the country started investing lakhs of rupees with him. His last scheme was tripling the amount in 25 days which was to end on May 15. By then, he had received crores of rupees. Two weeks ago, Jadeja suddenly disappeared after which complaints started pouring in.
“Thirty-six other accused, including Jadeja’s relatives and 18 agents, are still at large,” said Patel.
Source: timesofindia
Indian Rupee Converter
