Nagpur: A mystery woman on the rolls of a fake company in the Rs 800cr business cartel scam, drew a salary of Rs 15,000, but her name figured in the company proprietorship list with mind boggling transactions of Rs 61 crore.This shocker came to the fore when the crime branch team stumbled upon crucial documents and records related to the scam during a search of the factory premises.Sources in the crime branch stated the woman, who worked at the office of one of the five arrested accused in the scam, could possess details of fake companies, benami properties, records, bank accounts, and other associates of the scamsters.Currently, the crime branch is interrogating the two accused, Bunty Shahu and Jayesh Shahu, who are in police custody till May 27, about the mystery woman. Police said she may be knowing more secrets of the scam, but is currently underground. Police have also tried to zero in on a location where the woman resided, but she was untraceable. Sources stated the cops found substantial clues on the scam during the search operation at the factory premises, where the company in the name of the woman functioned until the scam went bust.Shell Game BustedA cartel of eight duped the govt using 87+ fake firms; a hawala and online gaming angle surfaces too.The FraudEight businessmen floated more than 87 shell companies, generating fake invoices and bills of supply, and conducted transactions with numerous other similar fake entities through dubious bank accounts. Funds were shown as business transactions, then withdrawn—but set-off claims and tax benefits were availed without depositing any money into govt coffers. Accounts were taken on a ‘rent’ basis before being used for channelling funds into online gaming and cricket betting.Hawala channels were used for routing substantial cash.Modus OperandiThe perpetrators collected Aadhaar, PAN, and personal data of individuals. They opened bank accounts and bought SIMs in victims’ names for OTP generations for financial transactions. Fake bills and receipts were issued to mimic real transactions, and fabricated ledgers and accounts were created to claim tax credits. Victims were lured with false promises and paid meagre sums. Threats and coercion were used when victims raised objections.Probe So FarAround 86 fake companies were unearthed. Cops wrote to different banks to seize around 25 bank accounts. They also wrote to different agencies like the GST department seeking information about the fake companies.TimelineFraud period: August 3 – December 12, 2024Offence registered: May 17, 2025First PCR ended on: May 22, 2025PCR extended till May 27, 2025, for Bunty Shahu and Jayesh ShahuBail Granted To: Brijkishor ManiyarAccused Yet to Be Nabbed: Rajesh Shahu, Avinash Shahu & Anshul MishraGround ZeroPlot No. 267, Pritam Complex, Sudarshan Chowk, Old Bhandara Road, Small Factory AreaThe AccusedArrested: Bunty Shahu, Jayesh Shahu, Brijkishor Maniyar, Rishi Lakhani, Anand HardeAccused Sent to MCR: Rishi Lakhani & Anand HardeWhat Cops FoundRs 24 lakh cash, pen drives, laptops, DVRs, cellphones, account books, ledgers, fake financial records, bank statements, and cheque books.Operation Breakdown14 locations were searched, and 9 police teams were deployed. Key officers involved were Sr PI Kamlakar Gaddime, ACP Abhijeet Patil, and DCP Rahul Maknikar.
