Durg: An FIR has been registered against former India cricketer Rajesh Chauhan for allegedly cheating a man of more than Rs 15 lakh on the pretext of offering him a transport contract with a steel company, police said Saturday.
The case was registered at Mohan Nagar police station Friday on the directions of a local court under Section 316(2) (criminal breach of trust) of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), said Station House Officer Keshav Kosale.
“The matter is under investigation. Further action will be taken based on the findings,” he said.
In an order dated July 16, Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) Aishwarya Diwan allowed an application filed by complainant Dinkar Vishwamitra under Section 175(3) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) and directed Mohan Nagar police to conduct an investigation and submit a final report before the court.
According to the application, Chauhan introduced himself to Vishwamitra as a former international cricketer with close links to some leading industrialists and claimed that his firm, Govind Transport Company, had secured a contract from Jindal Steel in Odisha’s Keonjhar district for transportation of iron ore and lumps.
The complainant alleged that Chauhan promised substantial profits and persuaded him to invest in the transport business by deploying trucks as a partner.
He allegedly showed the complainant work order documents purportedly issued in favour of Govind Transport Company, the application stated.
Believing the documents to be genuine, Vishwamitra entered an agreement with Chauhan July 30, 2021, and paid Rs 2.51 lakh through a cheque.
He subsequently transferred Rs 15.01 lakh in two instalments to Govind Transport Company’s bank account for the proposed transport business, the application said.
The complainant alleged that when Chauhan stopped responding satisfactorily, Vishwamitra approached Jindal Steel Limited and learnt that neither Chauhan nor Govind Transport Company had ever been awarded any contract. It further claimed that the work order shown to him was forged and fabricated.
The complainant alleged that despite submitting written complaints to Mohan Nagar police station and later to the Durg Superintendent of Police, no FIR was registered, prompting him to approach the court under Section 175(3) of the BNSS.
After examining the application and documents on record, the court observed that the material indicated the commission of a cognisable offence and that the police had taken no action despite complaints.
The court noted that there was prima facie material suggesting the respondent (Chauhan) had dishonestly obtained money by allegedly cheating the complainant, warranting a police investigation.
Chauhan had earlier told PTI that the matter was a business dispute.
“Some money of the complainant has already been returned, while repayment of the remaining amount has been delayed due to personal circumstances,” he had said.
