Freight forwarding: 4 held for duping 3 firms of Rs 15.52cr

CHENNAI: Chennai city CCB arrested four persons in connection with an alleged cheating complaint to the tune of Rs 15.52 crore, filed by three companies linked with freight forwarding business.

The arrested were identified as Ponraj, David alias Kevinraj, Gokulnath alias Daniel, all from Thoothukudi and Patrickmari Vijayamurugappa of Puducherry. Police also seized two cars including a Jaguar, cash of Rs 58 lakh, 188 sovereigns of gold, laptops, 15 SIM cards and 51 seals.

The accused were allegedly running ‘companies’ named GPR Resources, Fesa Industries, Zenhawk International, Fedele Express, Revolvy International, Zapo Tribros International etc.

The suspects posed as genuine exporters/shippers and engaged freight forwarding companies to hire barges or containers from shell companies referred by them for the export of construction material from Tuticorin to Maldives/Jeddah. In reality, no such export takes place. Also, the exporter (the shipper) and container supplier (the liner) are fake companies created under fictitious names. Also, all cargo-related documents, shipping bills, invoices, bills of lading are created fake and no cargo moved as projected and no export has taken place.

The suspects had registered around 40 shell companies with ROC and used these companies as shippers and liners functioning distinctly from each other while trapping business with freight forwarding logistics companies. They engaged only a handful of staff to do the office work but have opened around 61 bank accounts in the name of shell companies, obtained around 15 SIM cards, 81 digital signature certificates, obtained payments and defaulted payments, and made imports/exports only on paper, cheated genuine companies based on Hyderabad, Chennai, Tuticorin, Delhi and Mumbai.

Detailing the crime handled by the CCB for the last year, officers noted that 79 CCB accused have been detained under Goondas Act. The CCB took up the investigation relating to the grabbing of lands worth Rs 190 crore and plots worth Rs 157 crore and reverted them to the original owners.

Under the job racket wing, 23 people who conned the victims to offer definite jobs under State and central governments were arrested.