Aizawl, Apr 26: In a significant move, Mizoram Police busted a major scam in which at least 11 people were arrested.
According to the DGP of Mizoram, Anil Shukla, the Mizoram Police arrested individuals involved in what has been termed as the biggest scam in Mizoram and that of the Northeast.
The mastermind, Jakir Hussain (Area Manager of Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services Ltd.), along with his associates, orchestrated a fraud amounting to approximately Rs 150 crore and sanctioned vehicle loans by creating fake files for over 2000 ghost customers.
Jakir Hussain (41) is a resident of Tezpur, Assam currently residing at T-127, KV Thangmawia Building, Tuikhuahtlang, Aizawl.
The police have arrested 11 individuals and frozen 26 bank accounts amounting to Rs 2.5 crore. They also seized 3 laptops, 10 mobile phones, 549 ghost customers’ files, 25 forged seals, 30+ SIM cards, 2 personal diaries and various other identity documents.
The investigation into the state’s biggest scam began when a FIR was lodged at Aizawl police station on March 20, 2024, by Ankit Bagree, Circle Head of Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services Ltd. (MMFSL), alleging financial fraud perpetrated by their Area Business Manager in Mizoram, Jakir Hussain during the disbursement of vehicle loans.
Subsequently, another complaint was lodged by Chanpreet Singh, Business Head at MMFSL, on March 29, 2024, at PS Crime & Economic Offense. As per the instructions of the Director General of Police, Mizoram, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) under CID Crime was immediately formed to take up the investigation.
On March 29, a raid was conducted at the residence of Jakir Hussain, and he was eventually brought to the CID office for interrogation related to the case. After interrogation, he was duly arrested. During the search of his house, one personal laptop and several mobile phones were seized.
Upon further investigation, H. Lalthankima (office staff) and Edenthura (business executive) were also arrested and during the interrogation, they revealed that Jakir prepared fake documents and, in collusion with them, had opened a bank account with forged documents in the name of Mahindra Finance Limited at the Khatla Branch of Mizoram Rural Bank in 2020 under the impersonation of the Country Business Head.
On April 3, the SIT also arrested Manoj Sunar, a personal employee of Jakir Hussain, who was paid Rs. 15,000 a month to help Jakir prepare forged stamps for documentation purposes. Upon interrogation, Manoj revealed that, at the time of the company audit, Jakir used to remove these fake files from the office and they were transported to his house. Searches were made at the house of Manoj by SIT, where a total of 7 sacks containing 549 files for years 2022, 2023, and 2024 and 25 forged stamps were recovered.
During the investigation, the police also learned that five car dealers had been involved in the conspiracy: CK Motors Hyundai, NBE Tata, Rafael Nissan, Aidu Motors Renault, and Standard Motors three-wheelers.
The SIT had also froze 26 bank accounts amounting to 2.5 crores and additional accounts of car dealers amounting to about Rs. 1 crore have been frozen.
Furthermore,15 cars valuing over 3 crores have been recovered from various locations on disclosure of the accused, and about 47 crores have been returned by car dealers directly to MMFSL.
It has also learned that the accused used the loopholes in the company oversight process, KYC verification process, auditing, tele-verification, and supervisory mechanisms to continue their activities over a long period of time.
The names of the arrested are-
1. Jakir Hussain- Kingpin. The main conspirator and beneficiary of the fraud
2. Lalthankima- Office Staff.
3. Edenthara- Business Executive.
4. Manoj Sunar- Private employee.
5. Rintu- Private Driver.
6. Kajal Das- Employee of Tata dealer
7. C. Lalawmpuia- Private person.
8. Yogesh Sarda Ex-Employee and Circle Head of Mahindra
9. Lalrinunga Ralte- Employee of Mahindra Finance.
10. Lalchhandama-Employee of Mahindra Finance.
11. Praloy Das- Superior of Jakir.
