CENTRAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
NEW DELHI,
2nd January,2004MAJOR SUCCESS FOR CBI : THREE FUGITIVES WANTED BY INDIA ARRESTED IN HONGKONG AND ABU DHABI:
Following Red Corner Notices issued at the behest of Interpol India (CBI), three fugitives who were wanted in India have been arrested in the last about one month. While Ashok Tahilram Sadarangani was arrested in Hongkong, Gurvinder Singh Patheja and Santosh Madhavan were arrested in Abu Dhabi (UAE). The arrests were possible due to the close co-oporation and support from Interpol (IP) Hongkong, I.P. Dubai and I.P. Washington. Red Corner Notices were issued against the three at the instance I.P.New Delhi. Ashok Tahilram Sadarangani alongwith his co-conspirators was wanted in India in two criminal cases registered by the CBI for the offences of criminal conspiracy, cheating, forgery of valuable documents U/s 120-B, r/w 420, 467, 468 and 471 of the India Penal Code and U/s 13(2) r/w 13(1) (d) of Prevention of Corruption Act,1988. After committing the Crime he had fled India. A Red Corner Notice was got issued against him. He alongwith his accomplices was wanted for submitting forged documents to obtain a loan from two public sector banks, causing a loss to the tune of Rs.84.5 million. The loaned funds were supposed to be used for the import of goods into India, and according to the forged documents, the goods to be imported were signed over to the bank to secure the loan. However, the accused redirected the goods before they reached India, and disposed them off without informing the banks, thus causing huge losses to the banks. He was arrested in Hongkong. Gurvinder Singh Patheja and two of his accomplices dishonestly induced the Bank of Rajasthan to invest money in two companies : Patheja Brothers Forgings & Stamping Ltd.and Patheja Forgings and Auto-Parts Manufacturers Ltd.. Patheja and one of his accomplices (his brother) were directors of both of these companies. Another accomplice was Keshav Bangar one of the Directors of the Bank of Rajasthan Ltd. The Bank of Rajasthan was persuaded to purchase preferential shares worth two crore Rupees in each of the Patheja companies, i.e. a total investment of four crore Rupees, purportedly to meet working capital requirements and augment long-term resource. In reality, two crore Rupees was diverted by Patheja to his accomplice, Keshav Bangar for other business ventures. The other Rupees two crore rupees was used by Patheja and his brother to discharge thier business liabilities. Thus, Bank of Rajasthan was cheated of Rs.4 crore. Two cases were registered by the CBI against Patheja and his accomplices u/s 120-B-IPC, r/w 409 & 420 and U/c 13(2) r/w. Sec 13 (1) (d) of P.C. Act,1988 and U/s 409 & 420 IPC and Sec 13(2) r/w 13(1) (d) of P.C.Act, 1988 for criminal conspiracy, cheating, criminal breach of trust, criminal misconduct entailing life imprisonment. After committing the crime, Gurvinder Singh Patheja absconded . A Red Corner Notice was got issued against him and finally he was arrested at Abu Dhabi (UAE). Santosh Madhavan wanted by Mumbai Police for the criminal case registered against him in J.J.Marg Police Station, Mumbai in 1993, on the charges of possession of sophisticated weapons and sumuggling of illegal weapons, U/s 3(3), (5) and 5 of TADA , r/w 3,25 (a) Arms Act. On 25th Sept. 1993, Mumbai Police arrested an accused for illegally possessing a sophisticated loaded pistol. During investigation, some more accused including Trikesh Kumar Madhvan, brother of Santosh, were arrested and more arms and ammunitions were recovered at their instance. Trikesh disclosed the name of Santosh as one of the main conspirator alongwith other wanted accused. Santosh along with his accomplices, hatched criminal conspiracy to commit terrorist act with the use of sopisticated fire arms with the intention to adversely affect communal harmony. A red corner notice was got issued against him and he was arrested at Abu Dhabi (UAE).