After one and a half months of investigation, Goodwin Jewellers owner Suneel Kumar and chairman Sudheer Kumar were arrested in Thane court on Friday, the duo reached the court with the intent to surrender.
Senior police inspector Suresh Jadhav from EOW Thane said, "We have freezed their mutual fund, bank accounts, LIC and shares and the property attached in which bungalow, land, farm house showroom from Kerala state (sic)."
The duo had become helpless after their accounts were frozen and properties were sealed, they had no other option left other than surrendering themselves, said the official.
“Our one team had stayed for one and a half month in Kerala investigating their property and mutuals fund shares and all.”
The EOW official from Thane said that they had received information about the duo coming to Thane court on Thursday. “We immediately rushed to the court and the court gave the order to arrest them. There were four teams were deployed in the court premises to arrest the accused.
”Three Goodwin Jewellers stores in Thane, Dombivli and Ambernath were shut on October 21. A total of 1,154 cases accounting for Rs 25 crore investments scam in gold schemes have been registered against them. Dombivli Ramnagar police, Noupada police station and Shivaji Nagar police station have booked complaints against the owner and chairman under section 420 (cheating), 406 (punishment of criminal breach of trust) and 34 (common intention).
Customers complained that the Goodwin Jewellers branch on Manpada Road in Dombivli (East) has been shut since October 21. Protests were first held outside Goodwin Jewellers in Thane’s Talao Pali after the news spread across the Thane district.
Goodwin Jewellery Group has 12 branches in Thane, Navi Mumbai, Mumbai and Kerala, many of which are now shut.
DCP Sanjay Jadhav from EOW from Thane said, "We have appealed to people's who are stuck in scam that we have freezed the account, shares and all and attached all property of owner and chairman of Goodwin jewellers. All complainers regarding scams come to Economic Offence Wing Thane office for their complaints."
The EOW official said that the duo accused will be produced in court on Saturday.
