Three top officials of two firms arrested in Appu Ghar cheating case

Three top officials of two private firms, the promoters of the Appu Ghar water amusement park (sealed last year) in Gurugram’s Sector 29, were arrested on Monday on charges of siphoning off investors’ money of more than ₹1,000 crore to other firms, police said on Tuesday, adding that the arrests have come after the three individuals ignored several notices asking them to join the probe.

Police said at least 35 FIRs were registered at the DLF police station in Sector 29 between 2018 and 2022 implicating seven top officials of International Recreation and Amusement Limited (IRAL) and International Amusement Limited (IAL), the promoters of the water theme park.

Police identified the arrested suspects as Gyan Vijeshwar, director and promoter of IRAL and IAL, Robin Vijeshwar and Monny Vijeshwar, both directors of IAL.

The FIR said the accused had cheated and indulged in criminal breach of trust with the complainants and other investors, thus depriving them of their hard-earned money. It said the directors have more than 17 private and limited companies and they collected nearly 1,000 crore from investors and transferred it to the accounts of other companies.

Police said all FIRs were registered on the directions of the Punjab and Haryana high court after the victims of the fraud filed petitions seeking to recover their money.

They said the arrested trio were served notices to appear before the police in connection with the investigation in one of the cases registered on June 14, 2022, but they failed to do so.

Inspector Pawan Kumar, station house officer of DLF police station in Sector 29, said the victims have alleged that the suspects took money from them between 2012 and 2015 after entering into an agreement to give them space for commercial use at the water park.

“Victims alleged that no such allotment was ever made even after waiting for several years and finally, they approached the court praying for relief,” he said.

Police said a special team was formed to investigate all the FIRs registered against the officials of the two firms and to ascertain where the money taken from the investors was diverted.

According to investigators, the Haryana Shahari Vikas Pradhikaran allotted IRAL 25 acres in Sector 29 for a water theme park and 17 acres in Sector 52 for a mall on June 6, 2011, on a 33-year lease.

However, IRAL allegedly defaulted in paying rent after which HSVP sealed the park on September 4, 2022, and also cancelled the lease.

As per investigators, ₹48.57 crore is to be paid to HSVP of which half the amount is rent and rest is penalty for delay despite serving repeated notices from 2015 to 2022.