BERHAMPUR: Police had a tough time on Saturday pacifying irate depositors after a ponzi firm owner who had duped crores of rupees from them was arrested from Noida by Chhattisgarh police.
Complaints against the firm Binodini Developers are now pouring in from different places across Ganjam district.
In 2009, Dhiren Swain of Dharkote had set up the firm at Ayodhyanagar in the city and opened offices in various other places including Chhattisgarh.
The firm had promised to double fixed deposits on maturity after three years and accordingly collected cores of rupees as installments from the investors.
When the depositors demanded their money after maturity in 2014, officials of the firm headed by Dhiren’s brother Hiten assured them to make payment soon.
However, instead of providing the maturity money to the depositors, they closed the office and absconded.
Later, the case was taken up by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Crime Branch for inquiry.
However, Swain could not be traced. A depositor of Chhattisgarh who was at Noida in Delhi spotted Dhiren and his associates residing in the area and informed the Chhattisgarh police who nabbed Dhiren on June 2, but others managed to escape.
Dhiren has been brought to Chhattisgarh on remand.
Berhampur police said they have not received any information about Dhiren’s arrest from the neighbouring State. After confirmation, action will be taken for bringing him to Odisha on transit remand, they added.
Timeline
2009 Dhiren of Dharkote had set up the firm at Ayodhyanagar in the city and opened offices in various other places including Chhattisgarh
2014 The firm closed down its office and vanished
June 2, 2019 Chhattisgarh police nabbed Dhiren from Noida