LUCKNOW: The Uttar Pradesh police's Special Task Force has arrested the former state head of a TV news channel for allegedly duping a man of Rs 9.72 crore along with a few others, a statement issued here on Saturday said.
The accused, Santosh Mishra, was arrested around 9:35 PM on Friday by the STF from Ayodhya Road on the outskirts of Lucknow.
Prior to his arrest, nine others have been arrested in connection with the case, the STF said in its statement.
"During the course of investigation, it came to light that accused Santosh Mishra, who is the former UP head of New World India news channel, was evading arrest.
Acting on a tip-off, the STF arrested him when he was trying to leave Lucknow," it said.
A case under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Prevention of Corruption Act, the Official Secrets Act and the Indian Telegraph Act has been registered against Mishra at Hazratganj police station here, it added.
A mobile phone, Aadhaar and PAN cards, Rs 1,000 in cash and five debit cards were recovered from him, the STF said.
In June this year, a complaint was lodged by a resident of Indore, Manjeet Singh Bhatia, that he was duped of Rs 9.72 crore by a group of people who floated a fake tender in the name of the Uttar Pradesh animal husbandry department, according to the STF.
The STF busted a fake tender racket and arrested four people, including two senior government officials, for allegedly duping Bhatia, the statement said.
Those arrested were identified as Rajnish Dixit, chief personal secretary to the minister of state for animal husbandry, fisheries and dairy development; Dheeraj Kumar, private secretary to the minister; A K Rajiv, alias Akhilesh Kumar, who claims to be a journalist; and one Ashish Rai, the STF said.
A case under various sections of the IPC and the Prevention of Corruption Act has been registered against them, it said.