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Delhi HC Slams Door on for Alleged 'Maestro' of ₹12 Crore Property Fraud
In a sharply worded order on , the denied to Ram Singh, portrayed as the shadowy kingpin in a brazen scam duping complainant Babita Mittal of ₹12.04 crores over a fake luxury flat sale. Justice Anup Jairam Bhambhani ruled that Singh's evasion of investigation and central role in laundering proceeds disqualified him from under .
The Allure of a Dream Flat Turns Nightmare
The saga began in when Mohit Gogia and Shweta Gogia of M/s MG Leasing & Finance lured Babita Mittal's husband via intermediary Abhinav Pathak. They dangled a 'bargain' on the opulent 20th-floor flat at DLF Camellias, Gurugram—purportedly bought for ₹27 crores under SARFAESI auction. Promises of clear title, quick possession, and forged documents (auction papers, keys, receipts) convinced Mittal to transfer ₹12.04 crores between August and October 2024.
Reality crashed when documents proved fake. Gogia, a serial fraudster, issued a dud ₹12.19 crore cheque in . FIR 322/2025 followed on , at under sections for cheating, forgery, and conspiracy. Chargesheet added grievous hurt and wrongful confinement. Co-accused like Gogia (arrested ) are in custody; Singh, uncharged but linked via disclosures, sought amid ongoing probe.
'Business as Usual' vs 'Kingpin of the Syndicate'
Petitioner's Pitch: argued Singh, a moneylender, had no direct dealings with Mittal—money went to Gogia's firm. His ledger showed routine finance transactions over years, unrelated to the scam. No recoveries from him; complainant allegedly settled with Gogia via assets. Singh cooperated via replies, custody unneeded for documentary probe.
Prosecution and Complainant's Rebuttal: painted Singh as the third-layer launderer receiving ₹7 crores from Sachin Gulati and Vishal Malhotra's accounts (). Co-accused disclosures, Gogia's bail plea, and Income Tax statements under fingered Singh (aka Babaji Finance) for directing transfers, exacting 'conversion fees,' and hoarding gold/jewels worth crores. Raids yielded incriminating docs from his firm. Singh dodged notices (), prompting NBWs () and proclamation (). His NBW cancellation bid failed . Involved in three prior FIRs and money-laundering case (ECIR-HIU-I-38/25), part of ₹186 crore fraud web.
Complainant counsel highlighted Gogia's filings blaming Singh for routing funds into high-interest cash loans, gold, cars.
Weaving Precedents into a Tight Noose
Justice Bhambhani dissected the web, noting Singh's name absent from FIR but emerging via multiple co-accused statements admissible in tax proceedings. Layering via shell accounts necessitated , especially post-raids revealing cheque books and vehicle docs signaling syndicate ops.
Key precedents sealed the fate: - Srikant Upadhyay v. State of Bihar (2024) 12 SCC 382: No for absconders defying warrants/proclamations— only in 'extreme exceptional cases.' - Rakesh Mittal v. Ajay Pal Gupta (2026 SCC OnLine SC 211): erode societal well-being; bail weighs victim losses heavily. - v. Aditya Sarda (2025 SCC OnLine SC 764): Courts must deny bail to hinderers in grave financial crimes. - Asha Dubey v. State of M.P. (2024 SCC OnLine SC 563): Section 84 proceedings no absolute bar, but facts here precluded relief.
Citing and , FIRs needn't encyclopedia-detail all accused.
Key Observations from the Bench
"This court is tempted to observe that – after all, the maestro leads from a distance, commanding the orchestra, with no instrument in his own hand."
"When after the investigation, a is submitted in the court... If he is creating hindrances in the execution of warrants or is concealing himself and does not submit to the authority of law, he must not be granted the privilege of ."
" constitute a class apart, as they have deep rooted conspiracies involving huge loss of public funds... posing serious threats to the financial health of the country."
These remarks, echoed in media reports, underscore the court's view of Singh as the 'key conspirator and principal facilitator' in disguising crime proceeds.
Bail Dismissed: Custody Looms, Probe Deepens
The petition stands dismissed; interim pleas disposed. Singh faces arrest for money trail unraveling, co-accused confrontations, and evidence seizures. This ruling reinforces judicial caution in , signaling zero tolerance for evaders. Victims like Mittal may see swifter recoveries, while future applicants heed: cooperation trumps concealment.
As Delhi media noted, the 'maestro' metaphor captures the court's disdain for backroom fraud architects, potentially chilling similar syndicates.
