Assam Man Arrested For Allegedly Duping Arunachal Businessman Of ₹34 Crore In Ethanol Project Fraud Case

Guwahati, June 22: Arunachal Pradesh Police have cracked a high-value fraud case involving nearly Rs 34 crore within 14 days of the registration of an FIR and arrested the prime accused from Assam.

The accused, identified as Rishiraj Borkotoky (41) of Guwahati, was arrested on June 20 following an investigation into a complaint filed by businessman Rajesh Agarwal on June 5. Police also seized five mobile phones and a luxury vehicle valued at around Rs 1.5 crore during the operation.

Naharlagun Superintendent of Police Dr Nyelam Nega said the FIR was lodged at Naharlagun Police Station on June 5, and the case was solved within two weeks after an intensive investigation.

Businessman Allegedly Duped In Ethanol Project

According to the police, the accused allegedly cheated Arunachal Pradesh-based businessman Rajesh Agarwal of nearly Rs 34 crore over a period of four years.

Investigators said the accused came into contact with the complainant in 2022 and allegedly promised to facilitate the establishment of an ethanol factory in Assam.

He reportedly claimed to have close connections with the Assam Chief Minister and assured the businessman that he could expedite official clearances and approvals for the project.

To gain the complainant's confidence, the accused allegedly showed purported text messages and arranged phone conversations, claiming that they were with the Assam Chief Minister, police said.

According to investigators, the accused extracted around Rs 34 crore from the businessman between 2022 and 2026 on various pretexts. He allegedly claimed that payments of Rs 40-50 crore due to him were stuck and sought financial assistance from the complainant, assuring him that he would concentrate on the ethanol project once those dues were cleared.

Forgery And AI Angle Under Probe

Police further alleged that the accused used forged documents purportedly issued by the Ministry of Finance to maintain the deception and convince the businessman about the authenticity of his claims.

“We are investigating whether the voice used in the calls was generated through artificial intelligence,” Dr Nega said.

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Police arrested the accused on June 20 and seized a Mercedes-Benz car, five mobile phones and several other materials during the operation. One of the seized mobile phones, allegedly used to make the fake calls impersonating the voice of the Assam Chief Minister, has been sent for forensic examination.