Lucknow, Apr 16 (PTI) The Lucknow Police has attached movable and immovable assets worth more than Rs 5.78 crore under the Gangsters Act in connection with an organised real-estate-fraud racket that allegedly
duped people by selling non-existent or disputed land, officials said on Thursday.
The action was carried out in the Mohanlalganj area under the direction of Police Commissioner Amrendra Singh Sengar as part of an ongoing drive against organised crime. The assets belong to alleged gang leader Pramod Kumar Upadhyay and his associate, Vinod Kumar Upadhyay, police said in a statement.
According to police, "The accused operated a well-organised syndicate that lured unsuspecting buyers with attractive offers for residential plots, posing as representatives of reputed real estate firms. Victims were later found to have been sold land that either did not exist or was not owned by the accused."
Police said the gang particularly targeted personnel from the armed forces and paramilitary units, exploiting their limited availability for site verification due to service commitments.
A total of 66 cases, including charges of fraud, criminal conspiracy, forgery, criminal breach of trust and attempt to murder, have been registered against the accused at various Lucknow police stations since 2020, the statement said.
The attachment action was taken under section 14(1) of the Uttar Pradesh Gangsters and Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act, following orders issued on April 6 by the competent court.
The attached properties include a plot and a semi-constructed house in Omaxe City, Lucknow, collectively valued at more than Rs 5.3 crore, along with three vehicles -- a Toyota Innova, a Maruti Swift and a Mahindra Bolero -- worth around Rs 45 lakh, the statement said.
Police teams, along with revenue officials, marked the properties with attachment notices at their sites and informed local residents that the assets are now under court control. Further attachment proceedings in the case are underway, officials said.
Police reiterated that strict action against organised crime syndicates will continue to safeguard public interest and maintain a crime-free environment. PTI KIS RC
