Lucknow: PGI police on Tuesday arrested a husband-wife duo accused of running a fraud racket that allegedly siphoned money from bank accounts using forged passbooks, cheque books and other documents. Police said they recovered multiple banking documents, ATM cards, mobile phones and paperwork linked to suspected fake companies.The accused were identified as Neha Singh (36) and Vijay Singh (46), residents of Bhikhanapur village under Unchahar police station in Rae Bareli district. Officials said both were arrested on Aug 25 and produced before a court.Police said the case surfaced after Eesh Tyagi, chairperson of Javitri Institute, Telibagh, submitted a complaint at PGI police station on June 4. Tyagi told investigators she held an account at Axis Bank’s Telibagh branch and had not used the cheque book issued to her. Despite this, around Rs 50 lakh was allegedly withdrawn from her account using forged documents.Following the complaint, PGI police registered a case under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The DCP (South) formed two teams along with the PGI police cyber team to investigate. Police said they examined technical and manual evidence and developed leads through local intelligence.During interrogation, police claimed the couple disclosed they worked with an associate, Alok Mishra. Investigators said the group allegedly prepared forged cheques by filling in account numbers and other details of targeted account holders, forged signatures, and presented the cheques at banks to withdraw funds. Police also alleged the gang kept ATM cards, passbooks and cheque books linked to different accounts to facilitate transactions.Police said the group allegedly registered a fake company to route the money obtained through fraudulent withdrawals and arranged a fake GST registration certificate. Funds were allegedly transferred into accounts connected to the company before being distributed among members.Recovered items included 10 passbooks, seven cheque books, six ATM cards, six PAN cards, eight Aadhaar cards, seven keypad mobile phones, documents of two suspected fake companies and two GST registration certificates.
