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Nashik: A major fraud racket involving the upcoming Nashik-Trimbakeshwar Simhastha Kumbh Mela 2027 has come to light, with fraudsters allegedly creating fake work orders worth nearly ₹591 crore by falsely claiming that they could secure government contracts for Kumbh-related works.

Two accused have been arrested from Jalgaon in connection with the case after allegedly cheating victims of around ₹3 crore. The investigation has revealed that the accused allegedly prepared forged work commencement orders and used them to convince people that they had secured contracts for various works associated with the Simhastha Kumbh Mela.

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The racket reportedly operated by promising individuals and contractors lucrative Kumbh-related projects. The accused allegedly produced fake official-looking documents and work orders to establish credibility before demanding large sums of money from their victims.

No connection with Minister Girish Mahajan's family
Maharashtra minister Girish Mahajan clarified that the persons arrested in the case have no connection whatsoever with his family.

Mahajan said that similar fraudulent activities had allegedly been carried out by the accused earlier in Jamner, where they had reportedly cheated people by making false promises related to contracts and work opportunities.

According to Mahajan, the accused had allegedly fallen into substance abuse and alcohol addiction, and their activities had caused serious financial hardship not only to the victims but also to their own families. He said that some families were pushed into severe financial distress, with agricultural land reportedly having to be sold to deal with the consequences of the accused's activities.
Police instructed to take strict action.

Mahajan emphasised that the identity or political connections of the accused should not influence the investigation. He said that strict action should be taken against anyone found involved in the fraud, and that he had already instructed the police department to take stringent action in such cases.

The arrests have raised concerns over the possibility of fraudsters exploiting the massive scale of preparations for the 2027 Simhastha Kumbh Mela, where several thousand crores of rupees are expected to be spent on infrastructure, roads, water supply, sanitation, transportation, accommodation and other facilities.

Investigation into the fake documents
The police are now investigating how the fake work orders were prepared, whose names and signatures were allegedly used on the documents, and whether any other persons were involved in the racket.

Investigators are also expected to examine the financial transactions linked to the alleged ₹3-crore fraud and determine whether the ₹591 crore figure represented the total value of the fake work orders allegedly circulated by the accused.

Authorities are likely to verify the authenticity of the documents with the concerned government departments and agencies involved in Kumbh preparations.

The case has highlighted the need for contractors, suppliers and individuals seeking Kumbh-related contracts to verify work orders directly with the concerned government department before making any payment.
With the Simhastha Kumbh Mela preparations gathering momentum, the police and administration are expected to maintain heightened vigilance against fraudsters attempting to exploit the huge volume of upcoming government works.

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