Former Bathinda MLA Pritam Singh Kotbhai, aides booked for duping Pearl group owner of Rs 3.5 crore

LUDHIANA: Nirmal Singh Bhangu, the owner of the Pearl group that duped hundreds of people in the name of chit fund investment was duped himself of Rs 3.5 crore by former Congress MLA Pritam Singh Kotbhai and his five accomplices on pretext of helping Bhangu, lodged in Tihar jail, in getting bail and setting his police cases.
Importantly, Kotbhai is also facing several FIRs across the country for chit fund fraud and is out on bail.
On the complaint of Bhangu’s relative Shinder Singh, Ludhiana police commissionerate lodged an FIR against the ex-MLA from Bathinda, Dalip Kumar of Kanpur road, Lucknow, Sanjay Sharma of Faridabad, Sayid Parvej Rehmai of Lucknow, Jivan Singh and Dharamvi- both of Giddarbaha. The police have arrested Jivan Singh, Dharamvir Singh and Dalip in this case.
Ludhiana commissioner of police, Mandeep Singh Sidhu said, “Shinder Singh had lodged a complaint with police against ex-MLA Kotbhai and his accomplices. He said that his uncle Nirmal Singh Bhangu was lodged in Bathinda jail where he met Kotbhai. Kotbhai managed to get bail and meanwhile convinced Bhangu that he had links in government and he could get him freed from all his cases if he gave him Rs 5 crore. Later on, Nirmal agreed to give 3.5 crore in advance and 1.5 crore after work is done.”
The CP added, Bhangu shared the matter with his relative Shinder Singh, who took 3.5 crore from one Girdhari lal on interest and transferred the money to different firms as asked by Pritam. Only after Shinder transferred Rs 3.5 crore, he came to know that all the companies/ firms in which he has transferred the money were fake.
Following an enquiry, the city police lodged an FIR under sections 406, 420, 467, 468, 471, 120B of IPC at Sarabha Nagar police station.
Sidhu said, “The police have arrested three accused including one from Lucknow. A man hunt has been launched to arrest the rest including the former MLA.”