Mastermind of NRI property racket arrested

The Gurugram police have uncovered an international property fraud racket and successfully prevented two high-value properties, belonging to a Non-Resident Indian (NRI) couple, from being illegally acquired using forged documents.

The accused, Lakhwinder Singh (31) from Nawanshahr, Punjab, was apprehended at IGI Airport in a coordinated operation involving central agencies, as he returned from London following visa expiration.

Investigations revealed the gang operated an intricate international network. They first obtained fake passports in France under the identities of a US-based NRI couple. Using these forged passports, a counterfeit General Power of Attorney (GPA) was registered in Konton Obwalden, Switzerland, in the name of a fictitious son, “Karan Bhatnagar”—despite the couple having no son. This fraudulent GPA was brought to India through embassy channels and registered in Gurugram. It was then used by Singh to transfer property ownership into his own name via the HUDA department office in March 2021.

The fraudulent attempt came to light on September 4 in 2021, when the victim NRI received a call from a property dealer, who told him that he had paid an advance of Rs 15 lakh to his son Karan Bhatnagar and was going to transfer Rs 1 crore through RTGS. Later, he came to know that his property had already been transferred in the name of accused Lakhwinder Singh.