Gandhinagar, April 3: A retired government employee, 79-year-old Rajendra Shelat, residing in Gandhinagar's Sector 27, filed a complaint on Monday, accusing his nephew and niece of defrauding him and his wife of Rs 1.56 crore. Shelat, who retired as a clerk from Shrimati Manekba Vyayam Vidyabhavan College in Adalaj on Aug 8, 2004, detailed in his complaint that the alleged fraud included their life savings and ex gratia received from the government following the death of their son, Kaushal, who tragically passed away in an accident near the Tarapur bridge in Gandhinagar on Aug 9, 2022.

According to a Times of India report, due to partial paralysis, Shelat requires crutches, rendering him and his wife, Usha, dependent on their nephew, Bhaumik (38), and niece, Ashmi (40), after their son's demise. According to the FIR lodged with Sector 21 police, Bhaumik purportedly started assisting Shelat with bank-related matters post-Kaushal's death. Subsequently, Bhaumik and Ashmi allegedly obtained access to Shelat and Usha's bank accounts, life insurance policies, provident funds, and pension accounts. Online Scam in Gujarat: Offering Part-Time Jobs, Two College Dropouts Dupe People of Rs 60 Crore in Three Months; Arrested.

As per the report, the alleged perpetrators purportedly executed transfers from Shelat's LIC policy, the government's ex gratia payment, Kaushal's insurance payout, and funds from nine fixed deposits. Additionally, they reportedly obtained a Rs eight lakh loan from the couple's bank account, utilising the funds for personal expenses. Upon Usha's recent review of their bank statements and insurance policies, discrepancies surfaced, revealing withdrawals made by Bhaumik and Ashmi. Fraud in Gujarat: Fraudsters Dupe Gandhinagar Couple of Rs 33 Lakh on Pretext of Providing Canadian Work Permit Visa.

These withdrawals were made via checks or transfers to their accounts, all under the couple's forged signatures, and digital transactions purportedly executed using Kaushal's phone. Shelat asserted in the FIR that the total amount embezzled by Bhaumik and Ashmi amounted to Rs 1.56 crore. When confronted, Bhaumik allegedly produced falsified documents claiming investment in a mutual fund, further exacerbating the family's distress.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 03, 2024 02:24 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).