Nagpur/Chandrapur: A case of fraud has been filed against two brothers operating a firm entrusted with the task of online booking for the Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) in Chandrapur district, Maharashtra. The allegations state that the accused duo, identified as Abhishek Vinodkumar Thakur and Rohit Vinodkumar Thakur, residents of Chandrapur City, were involved in irregularities amounting to more than Rs 12 crore. A cheating case has been registered against them at the Ramnagar police station.
Divisional Forest Officer Sachin Shinde lodged the complaint against the brothers, who operated under the partnership firm “Chandrapur Wild Connectivity Solution.” The district Superintendent of Police’s office released a statement confirming the case of cheating and outlining the circumstances.
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Monday 07 Oct. 2024
According to the statement, the accused duo had been managing online bookings for TATR for several years. However, recent investigations revealed that they allegedly failed to remit Rs 12,15,50,831 to the management of the tiger reserve. A senior forest department official disclosed that their irregularities came to light during a routine audit. When questioned about the payments, the accused failed to provide satisfactory explanations and did not cooperate with the officials.
In response to these findings, TATR management terminated the services of the accused firm and appointed a new agency for online booking last week.
An exhaustive audit conducted for the years 2020-21 to 2023-24 unveiled that the firm was obligated to remit Rs 22,80,67,749 to the tiger reserve management. However, they only paid Rs 10,65,16,918, leaving the substantial sum of Rs 12,15,50,831 unpaid.
The accused brothers are alleged to have breached the terms and conditions of the agreement and misappropriated the funds. Consequently, an offense has been registered against them under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 420 (cheating) and 406 (criminal breach of trust). An ongoing investigation is in progress.
TATR, known as Maharashtra’s largest tiger reserve, remains an integral hub for preserving the state’s wildlife heritage. Chandrapur district, situated in the eastern part of the state, is home to this vital conservation area.
