Now Reading: Two held, including minister’s relative, for Rs 2.17 crore Kumbh Mela fraud
-
01
Two held, including minister’s relative, for Rs 2.17 crore Kumbh Mela fraud
Two persons have been arrested for allegedly cheating a man of Rs 2.17 crore by promising him a housekeeping contract for the upcoming Nashik-Trimbakeshwar Kumbh Mela. The accused, Tanay Mahajan (32) and…
The Story in Brief
Two persons have been arrested for allegedly cheating a man of Rs 2.17 crore by promising him a housekeeping contract for the upcoming Nashik-Trimbakeshwar Kumbh Mela. The accused, Tanay Mahajan (32) and Narendra Totaram Mahajan (51), showed the complainant a fake work order bearing the Nashik Municipal Corporation and Kumbh Mela Authority logos. Maharashtra minister Girish Mahajan, who acknowledged Tanay is a distant relative, called him a 'gone case' and urged strict action.
Police have registered three cases related to the fraud. Nashik DCP Kirankumar Chauhan said the investigation has uncovered a larger scam involving fake work orders worth Rs 591 crore, from which the accused took Rs 305 crore from multiple complainants. The minister clarified that Kumbh Mela tenders are conducted online and warned against offline offers.
The Indian Opinion
This case risks feeding a lazy narrative that every relative of a politician is protected or that the minister himself is complicit. Yet Girish Mahajan alerted police and publicly condemned the accused, calling for the harshest action. That is the right response. The real test is whether the police can now trace the full network, recover the stolen money, and ensure that no more victims fall for fake offline tender offers. One number to watch: will the total number of complainants rise beyond the current 12?
Sources (2): hindustantimes.com, deccanherald.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
