VIP calls, journo help MBS Jewellers’ Sukesh escape

Journo’s kin halts cop team, turn off lights, helps jeweller flee from home

High drama prevailed outside the residence of a journalist in Banjara HIlls after a group of policemen arrived at the house following specific information about the presence of an accused in a cheating case.

While the police team was bogged down by repeated calls from certain senior IPS officers and a senior politician who ordered the team not to proceed with the arrest, the inmates are said to have cut off the power supply of the house temporarily and made the accused flee the place.

The accused in question is Sukesh Gupta, promoter of MBS jewellers. Gupta’s name surfaced in the CBI vs CBI case involving then CBI director Alok Verma and his second in command Rakesh Asthana.

Gupta, a partner in Aashi Realtors, is accused in a case of cheating to the tune of `110 crore. The Kolkata-based SREI Finance had lodged a complaint against Gupta with the Central Crime Station (CCS) police.

Around 7.30 pm on Friday, a team from the Central Crime Station led by ACP S.V. Harikrishna arrived at the house of the journalist. The team had specific information about the presence of Gupta.

The journalist in question was earlier an accused in another cheating case in Cyberabad.

When the police tried to go inside, the inmates did not cooperate and started to threaten the team that they would proceed against them legally. Though the team did not have a search warrant, it is not mandatory for them when they have specific information.

As the ruckus was going on, the ACP received multiple phone calls from senior IPS officers including some holding key posts who ordered the team not to proceed with the arrest and “leave Sukesh Gupta.”

Even as the team was trying to deal with the phone calls from officers in support of Gupta and taking legal opinion on whether they can proceed of

Hyderabad with the arrest, the inmates are said to have cut off the power supply for some time.

Hours later, the journalist himself allowed the police team inside and asked them to search the house. By then, there was no trace of Sukesh Gupta. He is believed to have exited from the rear door, scaled the compound wall and vanished.

The drama which started at 7.30 pm went on till midnight after which the ACP and his team returned empty handed.

According to the police, SREI Finance lodged a complaint with the CCS against Gupta more than two weeks ago.

In their complaint, they stated that Gupta had taken a loan of `110 crore but had defaulted. As per the MoU with SREI, Gupta was supposed to mortgage two properties for the loan — one property at Miyapur and the another in Koti. However, Gupta mortgaged only one property (the one at Miyapur) and obtained the loan and subsequently defaulted.

SREI Finance sold the Miyapur property and recovered a major part of the dues. Gupta reportedly registered the Koti property to another party, while actually he was supposed to mortgage it to SREI Finance.

Following this, the company lodged a complaint against Gupta. The CCS has registered a case of cheating and criminal breach of trust.

Since the time of registration of case, Gupta has been absconding.

Well known for his top political connections, Gupta has had a criminal past. He was the prime accused in the MMTC gold purchase fraud to the tune of `200 crore in which he was arrested by the CBI a few years ago.

Thereafter his name surfaced in the CBI vs CBI fiasco wherein it was alleged that Gupta, through controversial meat exporter Moin Qureshi, had paid huge bribes to then CBI Directors A.P. Singh and Alok Verma to hush up the case against him.

The Enforcement Directorate is also probing Gupta. For most part of 2019, Gupta was not to be seen in Hyderabad as he was staying in the UK even as ED was sending summons to him.

When contacted, ACP Harikrishna said that they are on the lookout for Gupta. When asked about the dramatic developments at the journalist’s house, he just chose to say that though they had gone there and surrounded the house, the accused was not there.