The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Delhi Police has arrested a proclaimed offender who allegedly remained absconding for nine years in connection with a property fraud that saw banks cheated of more than Rs 18 crore through forged sale deeds, impersonation and shell companies, officials said on Saturday.
Accused Identified as Sanjeev Dixit
The accused, identified as 53-year-old Sanjeev Dixit, alias Sanjay Sharma, was arrested in connection with a 2013 FIR registered under charges of cheating, forgery and criminal conspiracy.
The police said he had been evading arrest since 2017 after escaping from the custody of the Uttar Pradesh Police. He was later declared a proclaimed offender by a Delhi court.
Fraudulent Transfer of Property
According to the EOW, the case was registered on the complaint of a woman who alleged that her property in Vivek Vihar was fraudulently transferred through a forged sale deed executed by an impersonator posing as her before the office of the Sub-Registrar. The police said the accused allegedly used the PAN details of another woman bearing the same name as the complainant to facilitate the impersonation.
Investigators alleged that the forged sale deed was used to mortgage the property and obtain credit facilities worth more than Rs 18 crore from multiple banks. The alleged loans included Rs 10 crore sanctioned by Chinatrust Commercial Bank, of which Rs 4.75 crore was disbursed, besides a Rs 5-crore cash credit limit, a Rs 70-lakh car loan and another Rs 3-crore cash credit limit from other banks. According to the police, the loan accounts were later declared non-performing assets (NPAs).
Modus Operandi
The police said the accused, along with his associates, first gained access to the complainant’s property by placing tenants there to obtain details of the title documents. He then allegedly arranged for an impersonator to execute the forged sale deed before using the fabricated documents to secure bank loans. The funds were allegedly routed through shell companies before being withdrawn or spent to conceal the money trail. Investigators also alleged that the accused used the alias “Sanjiv Gandhi” to conceal his identity.
Arrest After Years of Evasion
The EOW said sustained technical surveillance, local inquiries and repeated searches failed to trace the accused for several years. Officers later found that he was lodged in Tihar Jail in connection with another criminal case. A production warrant was obtained from a Delhi court, after which he was produced before the court on June 25 and formally arrested in the present case.
Sanjeev Dixit is a habitual economic offender with 12 criminal cases registered against him by various investigating agencies and police units, including the CBI and police stations in Delhi and Haryana. The cases involve allegations of cheating, forgery, criminal conspiracy and corruption.
