Prime accused arrested in ₹25 cr land scam

Nainital: The Kumaon range police have cracked a major ₹25-crore land scam syndicate with the arrest of its prime accused, Haldwani-based contractor and property dealer Dhananjay Giri, on May 21.Giri was apprehended by a reconstituted Special Investigation Team (SIT). The new team was formed by IG Riddhim Aggarwal on April 17 to replace a previous SIT, following alleged delays and inadequacies in the earlier probe.Investigators revealed that Giri operated an organised criminal syndicate that systematically defrauded property buyers in Uttarakhand since 2018. Nine FIRs have been registered against the racket, with three major cases at an advanced stage of investigation. Also, an additional 15 to 20 victims have recently come forward, indicating a much wider fraud network.Police have invoked BNS Section 111 regarding organized crime. Additionally, under BNSS Section 107, authorities have initiated proceedings to freeze and confiscate properties acquired through the proceeds of the crime.The police have written to the Nainital district magistrate to block any sale or transfer of these linked assets, which officials say may eventually be distributed proportionately to compensate the victims. Senior officials added that a crackdown on the remaining gang members is underway, with more arrests expected soon.