Gurgaon: Puneet Beriwala, the CEO of real estate enterprise Vipul Limited, was arrested for allegedly cheating a group of lawyers of Rs 6 crore by promising quick and double returns on their investments.In April 2024, Beriwala allegedly induced multiple lawyers from the Rohtak and Gurgaon Bar Associations to invest a total of Rs 6 crore in what he described as a new real estate project. Police said he promised to double the money within a short period and assured quick repayment.To build credibility, Beriwala allegedly executed multiple written agreements and issued cheques totalling more than Rs 4.1 crore. The FIR states he also verbally assured the investors that their dues would be cleared from the sale proceeds of V Club on Sohna Road. The FIR was registered on Oct 1, 2025, at Shivaji Nagar police station on a complaint by advocate Anil Kumar.Police alleged that after receiving the funds, Beriwala stopped responding to calls, did not repay the investors, and failed to honour the cheques. In Aug last year, the lawyers staged a protest outside V Club, raising slogans and demanding strict legal action against him.A team from economic offences wing (EOW) arrested 62-year-old Beriwala from the city on Friday. Police said he is originally from Malviya Nagar in Delhi and currently lives in Sector 42.An FIR was registered against Beriwala and others under IPC Sections 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 420 (cheating) at Shivaji Nagar police station, after which the case was transferred to the EOW for investigation. The EOW has alleged that the funds were diverted to other projects instead of being returned, leading to allegations of cheating, criminal breach of trust, and conspiracy. Police said they are examining financial transactions linked to the accused.The FIR also names Beriwala’s associates, Sunil Bhandari and Praveen Gupta. “Beriwala was produced before a court in the city on Saturday, which sent him to two days’ police custody,” said police spokesperson Sandeep Turan. Police had sought four days’ remand. He will to be produced before the court on Monday.Former Rohtak Bar Association president Deepak Kundu said around 50 lawyers were allegedly cheated. He also alleged that Beriwala threatened the investors and later offered flats and shops when he failed to repay. Kundu said Beriwala is named in multiple other cheating cases in Haryana, and claimed this was his first arrest.
