DELHI POLICE EOW ARREST EX SERVICEMAN AND OWNER OF DEFENCE PERSONNEL WELFARE HOUSING ORGANISATION (DPWHO) FOR DUPING INVESTORS TO THE TUNE OF RS.2.50 CRORES
New Delhi, February 25
The Delhi police EOW arrested the owner of the Defence Personnel Welfare Housing Organisation (DPWHO) and an ex serviceman for allegedly duping investors for Rs. Two and half crores in a housing project coming up at Dwarka in Delhi.
The EOW identified the accused as K Ponniah (46) resident of Thiruvarur in Tamil Nadu.
Jt CP EOW OP Mishra stated that the case was registered against him for cheating and fraud in 2017 that he had falsely assured the complainant that he has commenced construction and would complete the project. However, even after 5 years of investment no possession was given to victims.
During investigation the officials found that accused had reportedly constructed two towers namely Tower No 24A & 24B in Poachanpur of Dwarka Sector 23 Delhi in collaboration with land owner. Later, it was found that accused has been taking bookings of te flats that were owned by the land owner as per the collaboration agreement.
According to the EOW, he had convinced the investors showing rosy pictures about the project being ideal for investment as the construction has commenced and will be completed within stipulated time. In 2014, complainants were offered residential units in tower 24B constructed by DPWHO. Till 2016 the accused did not hand over the possession and in 2017 the complainants came to know that the flats booked by them were sold to other persons.
The EOW officials verified his bank details and relevant documents were scrutinized. It was revealed K Ponniah formed a firm with name Defence Personnel Welfare Housing Organisation (DPWHO) in 2012. Then he made a collaboration agreement with the Land owner company M/s Conchem Construction Pvt Ltd to construct two towers as 24A & 24B with 16 Flats each. After completion of towers, Tower 24 B will be owned by the land owner company and tower 24 A will be owned by the accused's firm DPWHO. But the accused induced the complainants and took booking for the flats that were in the Tower No 24 B that is owned by the Land owing Company.
The officials further said that he was evading the process of investigation and was avoiding joining investigation despite repeated notices. During visits at his address he was never found and police was told that he fled to his native village in Tamil Nadu. The court had declared him as a proclaimed offender in June 2018 when he was found in Delhi during several raids hy the agency.
The case was transferred to the EOW in 2018 for further investigation. Thereafter, surveillance was mounted on the available contact numbers of accused. The EOW had found out that K. Ponniah was seen in Tiruchirapalli but no contact number was issued on address in Tiruchirrapalli. On the basis of the surveillance data, the officials conducted search in Tiruchirapalli. The officials learnt that he had allegedly fled to to his native place in Thiruvarur. With the help of the local police in Peralam District Thiruvarur, the EOW affirmed that he was living in Mannarpuram. When the EOW and Peralam police went to arrest the accused, he allegedly fled from the spotand reached nearby district Pudukottai.
During the mouse and the cat chase, the accused allegedly switched off his phone however with constant surveillance on him and those in his contacts, it was found that one of his contacts was active in Podukottai.
Knowing police is chasing him, he switched off his all the phone numbers. Then again the data of his movement was analysed and surveillance was mounted on those persons whom he contacted. One of those contacts was found to be active in the area of PS Keeranur, District Pudukottai. More police officials joined the search team and found the accused hiding in a lodge in Pudukkottai.
The police added that K Ponnaiah was born in Surai Kayur village of Thiruvarur in Tamil Nadu. He is a Science graduate from his home town. He joined Armed Force in June 1994 as ‘Havaldar” and took VRS in 2010. In the same year, he entered into the business of property dealing in the area of Dwarka. In 2012, he formed a partnership firm as DPWHO (Defence Personnel Welfare Housing Organisation and started making buildings in collaboration with land owners. He operated from his office in Dwarka Mor, Delhi.
In order to raise more and more money they keep on launching new projects and used the funds raised from one project in the other project, a modus operandi to dupe investors, officials added.
The EOW stated that there are many cases against the accused for related offences in Dwarka 23 and Uttamnagar besides four cases in EOW.
