CEO of Real Estate Firm Arrested for Defrauding Lawyers of ₹6 Crore in Gurugram
The CEO of a real estate company has been arrested in Gurugram for allegedly defrauding several lawyers of Rs 6 crore. The accused, Puneet Beriwala (62), is the CEO of Vipul Limited and a resident of Sector 42, Gurugram. He was apprehended on Friday, and a court subsequently sent him to two-day police custody on Saturday.
In a complaint filed on October 1 last year, some lawyers alleged that they invested Rs 6 crore in Vipul Limited in 2024 for a project after Beriwala promised them substantial returns. However, after receiving the money, Beriwala stopped responding to their communications. Despite repeated requests, he did not return the funds, as stated in the complaint.
In August last year, the aggrieved lawyers staged a protest outside V Club in Gurugram, raising slogans and demanding strict action against Beriwala. The protest garnered significant attention and highlighted the growing frustration among the victims.
Based on the complaint, an FIR was registered at Shivaji Nagar police station against Beriwala and his associates, Sunil Bhandari and Praveen Gupta. The investigation of the case was assigned to the Economic Offences Wing (EOW-2) of the Gurugram Police.
Following his arrest on Friday, Beriwala told the police that he had invested the money taken from the lawyers in other projects. However, the police are not convinced by his explanation and are questioning him further while he is in police custody. They are also conducting raids to apprehend his associates.
The Gurugram Police spokesperson stated, 'We are questioning the accused after taking him on police remand and are conducting raids to nab his associates.' The case has raised concerns about the integrity of real estate investments and the need for stricter regulations to protect investors from fraudulent activities.
Vipul Limited, a well-known real estate company in Gurugram, has been involved in several high-profile projects in the region. The arrest of its CEO is a significant blow to the company's reputation and could have far-reaching implications for its future operations. The police are urging any other victims to come forward with their complaints to assist in the ongoing investigation.
