Three men arrested for luring victims into fake land deal scams in Gonda

Itiyathok police in Gonda district have arrested three men who lured people with promises of cheap land deals and stole cash from their victims. The accused were apprehended on 04.09.2026 and police recovered ₹1,00,700 in cash along with a TVS Raider motorcycle used in the crime.

The arrested men have been identified as Shakti alias Shaktiram son of Sitaram, resident of village Pancharan Prithvinath Chauraha; Moto alias Suryanarayan Patherkat son of Amaresh, resident of village Fatehgarh Patkholi; and Radheshyam alias Babu Ji son of late Goge, resident of Imilia Khargupur Mahlia. All three belong to Khargupur police station area in Gonda district. They were arrested from Benduli crossing on Khargupur Road near Shani Dev temple.

The three accused are wanted in case number 310/2026 under sections 303(2), 318(4), and 317(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita registered at Itiyathok police station. According to the case details, complainant Kafil Ahmad son of Jalil Ahmad, resident of Baijpur under Itiyathok police station, had gone to a private hospital in Gonda on 02.09.2026 for his sister's operation. There he met persons named Moto Patherkat and Shakti. During conversation, these men lured him with an offer to arrange land at cheap rates near Gandhi Chabutra.

Trusting them, Kafil Ahmad took ₹1,30,000 and accompanied them to Gandhi Chabutra, where two other persons also joined them. On the pretext of showing land, the group took the complainant around various places for a considerable time. When Kafil Ahmad went to urinate, they stole ₹1,30,000 from his bag and fled the spot. Despite the complainant's repeated searches and phone calls, all their mobile phones were found switched off. Based on his written complaint, a case was registered at Itiyathok police station under relevant sections.

During interrogation, the accused revealed they operate as an organized gang that traps gullible people by promising land deals at cheap rates for their financial gain and commit fraud and theft. They had won Kafil Ahmad's trust by promising him cheap land and had already taken ₹1,50,000 from him earlier on 13.08.2026. On 02.09.2026, they called him to Gandhi Chabutra after taking another ₹1,30,000. They kept showing him around on the pretext of displaying land, and when he went to urinate, they stole the ₹1,30,000 kept in his bag and fled on a motorcycle. The stolen money was divided among themselves and all accused avoided going to their homes to evade police.

Shakti alias Shaktiram is a history-sheeter criminal of Khargupur police station with multiple cases registered against him under various sections. His criminal record includes case number 92/03 under section 401 IPC, case numbers 93/03 and 94/03 under sections 4/25 of the Indian Arms Act 1969, case number 007/07 under sections 458 and 380 IPC, case number 45/08 under sections 489 and 380 IPC, case number 139/16 under sections 4 and 25 of the Indian Arms Act 1969, case number 383/17 under section 401 IPC, case number 389/17 under sections 380 and 504 IPC, case number 76/18 under sections 457 and 380 IPC at Itiyathok police station, case number 143/18 under sections 323 and 504 IPC, case number 76/18 under sections 457 and 380 IPC at Kaudiya police station, case number 147/18 under sections 323 and 504 IPC, and case number 72/19 under sections 3 and 25 of the Indian Arms Act 1969, all at Khargupur police station in Gonda district.

Accused Radheshyam alias Babu Ji also has a criminal history with case number 221/2024 under sections 406, 411, and 420 IPC registered at Kotwali Nagar police station in Balrampur district and case number 191/2023 under sections 406 and 420 IPC at Tulsipur police station in Balrampur district.

The arrest was carried out by a police team led by Station House Officer Gaurav Tomar of Itiyathok police station, along with Sub-Inspector Rajesh Dubey, Head Constables Imran Ahmad and Dhananjay Yadav, and Constable Suryanath Yadav. Further legal action has been initiated against the arrested accused.