Mumbai: The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Mumbai Police has unearthed key details in the ongoing investigation into the ₹122 crore scam at New India Co-operative Bank, revealing how an accused used a fake identity to secure a ₹15 crore deal.
According to EOW officials, Rajeev Ranjan Pandey, recently arrested from Jharkhand, posed as "Pawan Gupta" to extract ₹15 crore from prime accused Hitesh Mehta. Pandey was assisted by Sameer Shaikh, a Dharavi resident and employee of Mehta, who helped arrange the transaction under Pandey’s instructions.
EOW sources revealed that during the handover, Sameer Shaikh introduced Pandey as Pawan Gupta, claiming he was the trustee of an NGO where the money would be invested, and that he would issue a certificate for the same. After receiving the funds, Shaikh called Pandey (alias Pawan Gupta) to confirm, following which Pandey instructed him to return home. Shaikh’s statement has been officially recorded, corroborating these details.
The ₹15 crore was handed over at an office in Santacruz, rented by one of Pandey’s aides for ₹25,000 - 30,000 a monthly rent. The rental agreement had been made just three months prior. Notably, the deal between Pandey and Mehta was facilitated by a self-styled Borivali based 'baba' Shravan Pandit Dhurve who used to conduct religious rituals at Mehta’s home. Eow already registered Dhurve's Statement.
Sources said Mehta had confided in the baba about his desire to "convert" ₹15 crore black money into white. The baba then connected him with Pandey’s local network in Mumbai. The final deal was struck in Santacruz after a series of meetings, and Mehta even spoke to Pandey over the phone — who continued to identify himself as Pawan Gupta during the conversation.
Prior to this, the baba had also arranged a meeting for Mehta with a party from Satara in Pune, but the deal had fallen through. The EOW is now delving deeper into this money laundering racket, including tracing the exact flow of funds and others involved in the wider conspiracy.
