Former IPS Officer Amitabh Thakur Arrested in 1999 Deoria Industrial Plot Fraud Case; SIT Finds Evidence of Forgery and Misuse of Office
The Lucknow Police on Wednesday arrested former IPS officer Amitabh Thakur in connection with an alleged fraud and cheating case involving the allotment of an industrial plot in Deoria dating back to 1999.
Thakur, who was then serving as Superintendent of Police in Deoria, is accused of using his official position to help secure the plot in his wife’s name through forged documents and false identities—later selling it for profit.
According to officials, Thakur was taken into custody from Sitapur based on findings submitted by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed to probe the case.
“The evidence gathered during the investigation was found sufficient to arrest him. He will be produced before the Deoria court since the alleged offence occurred there,” said Lucknow Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Vishwajeet Srivastava.
The FIR, lodged in September at Talkatora police station, names Thakur and others on charges of fraud, cheating, forgery and related offences.
The complaint was filed by Sanjay Sharma, a resident of Talkatora, who accused Thakur and his wife, Nutan, of manipulating government processes to illegally obtain the plot.
To ensure transparency in the investigation, DCP Srivastava had constituted an SIT soon after the FIR was registered.
As part of the probe, the SIT collected documentary records from Deoria, verified the alleged fake identities and addresses used in Bihar, examined official documents from various departments, and questioned several witnesses connected to the allotment.
The complaint alleges that in 1999, while serving as Deoria SP, Thakur facilitated the allotment of an industrial plot to his wife through the District Industries Centre.
Nutan allegedly used forged personal details—substituting both her own and her husband’s real names and addresses with fabricated ones—along with a fake residential address to obtain the allotment.
Sanjay Sharma’s complaint further states that forged documents, including the application form, affidavit, treasury challan, and transfer deed, were used to deceive multiple government departments.
He also claimed that Nutan benefited from Amitabh Thakur’s influential position at the time, which enabled the concealment of the alleged fraud and provided protection during the process.
After securing the industrial plot through fraudulent means, the couple allegedly sold it later using their actual names and address, thereby bypassing scrutiny from banks, government agencies and other authorities for an extended period.
In March 2021, the Union Home Ministry had already compulsorily retired Thakur, a 1992-batch IPS officer, from service.
Following weeks of investigation, the SIT concluded that there was sufficient evidence to proceed with legal action, leading to Thakur’s arrest. Further questioning and legal proceedings are expected to follow as the case moves to court.
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