Namchi resident duped of over Rs 11 lakh in franchise scam, Police launch investigation
As part of the investigation, requisitions have been sent to the Branch Managers of the concerned banks to freeze the accounts where the money was deposited.
LOCAL
A case of alleged financial fraud has emerged in Namchi district, where a local resident was reportedly cheated of over Rs 11 lakh by a Noida-based company under the false promise of setting up a franchise outlet in Namthang Bazaar. The Namchi police have registered an FIR and initiated an investigation under the new Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023.
The complainant, a resident of Namthang Bazaar, Kolbung, Namchi, stated in his written complaint that about six to seven months ago, he came across Grocery 4 U Retail Pvt. Ltd., a company claiming to offer franchise opportunities. The company’s registered address was listed as Unit No. 1202, 12th Floor, Tower-C, The Iconic Corenthum, Sector 62, Noida, Uttar Pradesh.
The complainant reached out to the company via their official website and was contacted by Ms. Minakshi Singh, who introduced herself as the Senior Franchise Manager. Later, he also communicated with Mr. Vinay Pandey, who claimed to be the company’s Director. After several rounds of talks, a formal franchise agreement was signed between the complainant and the company.
Following the agreement, the complainant was asked to deposit money in instalments. Over time, he transferred a total of Rs 11,24,500 via NEFT into multiple bank accounts provided by the company, supposedly for setting up the franchise outlet. However, months passed without any development on the ground, raising doubts in Pradhan’s mind.
When he realized there had been no visible progress and that his calls and queries were being ignored, the complainant suspected that he had fallen victim to a fraudulent scheme. He approached the Namchi Police, who initiated a preliminary enquiry under the supervision of SI Siddharth Subba. The investigation confirmed the veracity of the complaint and the bank transaction details.
Based on the findings, a formal FIR was registered as Case No. 31/2025, dated 23.07.2025, under Sections 316, 318, and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, which deal with cheating, criminal breach of trust, and organized financial fraud.
As part of the investigation, requisitions have been sent to the Branch Managers of the concerned banks to freeze the accounts where the money was deposited. Police are also taking legal steps to seek court permission to recover the money and return it to the complainant.
Moreover, efforts are underway to obtain the KYC details of the suspect bank accounts in order to identify and trace the accused individuals, including Vinay Pandey and others involved in the scheme.
One person has been detained under Section 35 of the BNSS, 2023, though their exact involvement is yet to be confirmed. As of now, no formal arrest has been made, and the case remains under active investigation.