Dholpur Police Apprehends Fugitive Investment Fraudster After Six-Year Manhunt
In a significant breakthrough, Dholpur police have successfully arrested a 43-year-old accused who had been evading authorities for six years after allegedly defrauding nearly 200 individuals of approximately Rs 12.69 crore. The arrest concludes a months-long, multi-city investigation that spanned several states.
Details of the Accused and the Investigation
Superintendent of Police Vikas Sangwan identified the arrested individual as Amit Gautam, a resident of Dholpur. Gautam was carrying a combined reward of Rs 43,000 and was wanted in approximately 20 cases across Dholpur, Jaipur, and Udaipur. Officials confirmed that he had been avoiding arrest since 2020 and was also under the surveillance of the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
The sophisticated fraud operation was reportedly run by Gautam along with his associate Arun Agrawal. They targeted affluent victims, including doctors, engineers, and businessmen, by promising high returns and quick doubling of investments. To establish credibility, Gautam portrayed himself as a high-profile investor, arriving in luxury vehicles, wearing expensive watches, and using premium electronic devices.
Modus Operandi and Deceptive Tactics
Police revealed that the accused initially paid substantial returns to smaller investors to build trust. Once confidence was secured, victims invested larger sums, often pooling money from friends and relatives, before Gautam siphoned off the funds. In several instances, he even accompanied victims to banks to assist them in securing large loans from multiple branches, enabling them to invest more significant amounts in his fraudulent schemes.
What distinguished Gautam from other fraudsters was his strategic use of his academic background. Having completed an M Pharma degree from a college in Udaipur, he leveraged his knowledge of the medical field to specifically target high-earning professionals. After executing the fraud, he went underground by posing as a medical practitioner.
Extensive Manhunt and Arrest
Authorities discovered that Gautam was hiding in Delhi, where he worked at a medical store and conducted diagnostic tests while concealing his identity under a doctor's coat and face mask. Tracking him down required unconventional fieldwork. Members of the cyber team visited multiple cities, including Jaipur, Udaipur, and Delhi, posing as customers at medical stores and diagnostic labs. They even gave blood samples to gather leads and confirm his presence.
Acting on precise intelligence, a special team finally located and arrested Gautam from Lajpat Nagar in Delhi. Officials stated that the arrest followed nearly six months of sustained surveillance and intelligence-gathering across states, conducted under the supervision of senior officers in Dholpur.
This case highlights the persistent efforts of law enforcement in tackling complex financial crimes and bringing fugitives to justice, even after years of evasion.
