The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Delhi Police has arrested a 49-year-old businessman for allegedly forging a letter by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to sell his property in South Delhi's Panchsheel Park in 2012. (File photo)The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Delhi Police has arrested a 49-year-old businessman for allegedly forging a letter by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to sell his property in South Delhi’s Panchsheel Park in 2012.
An FIR was filed against the accused, Varun Krishan Vij, with the EOW in 2018. Joint CP (EOW) O P Mishra said, “The accused has a consultancy firm and frequents Dubai for work. However, his business was not doing well and he wanted to sell his Panchsheel Park property to maintain his lavish lifestyle. He forged the NOC of ASI in order to sell his property, which is 40.5 metres away from a protected ASI monument. The accused produced a purported letter from ASI confirming the property is situated 200.5 metres away from the protected monument.”
In the 2018 FIR, the complainant, Ajay Chaudhary, a Vasant Kunj-based businessman alleged he had met Vij in 2011 as he was interested in buying a property in Panchsheel Park. Joint CP Mishra said, “As per the complainant, after due negotiations, he observed that the property is in the vicinity of a protected monument. To remove this apprehension, Vij produced a copy of an ASI letter confirming the competent authority had directed him to submit an application for construction.”
In August 2012, the complainant purchased the property from Vij for Rs 21.21 crore, said Mishra. “In pursuance of this agreement, the complainant paid Rs 7.21 crore from his personal account and Rs 1.10 crore from his company’s account. After receiving the payment, however, Vij did not transfer the property. The sale deed was to be executed in April 2013 but Vij kept coming up with excuses and did not execute the sale deed,” said Mishra.
Upon enquiry, the complainant found that the property was situated merely 40.5 metres from the protected monument, and the letter purportedly written by competent authority was forged and fabricated, said Mishra. He said Vij has been arrested and is on a day-long police custody remand. A case under sections of cheating and forgery was filed against Vij in the 2018 FIR.
In the FIR, the complainant had alleged that he “gave a representation to (the then) DCP South in December 2016… The police did not take any action.”