Nehru place gets another jolt

Almost 20 channel partners of Nehru Place are in a state of shock. They have been duped of more than Rs 55 lakh, though some market players estimate the actual amount to be as high as Rs 2 crore. Interestingly, they have not been duped by a fly-by-night operator. 

Rather, the culprit in question is Sanjay Gupta of Gravis Computers, who was in this business for almost 10 years operating out of Nehru Place only. He is said to have established Gravis in 1996 as a reseller catering to system integrators.

Transaction proof of almost Rs 55 lakh split between 20 people has come to light so far though the estimate runs to over Rs 2 crore. However, it is said that Rs 1.5 crore was from a chit fund, which Sanjay had floated.

His list of victims reads like a virtual who's who of Nehru Place. Elcom Trading, Frontline Information Systems, Micro Max Technologies, RR Systems, Challanger Computers, Park Electronik, Comnet Vision, Softech Computers, Pulse Systems, Spark Technology, Fortune Marketing etc. 

They were all supplying material to Gravis Computers. Not even in their wildest dreams they had imagined that he would give them all such a jolt and vanish without a trace.

According to JP Bansal of Frontline, Sanjay was last spotted on Saturday, June 25. That was the last day he was seen in his office-cum-retail outlet at 102, Kundan House, Nehru Place. He reportedly vacated his rented house on Second Floor, E-113, Kalkaji on June 25 itself after a two-month verbal notice to his landlord stating that he has bought a house in
NOIDA.

When DQW News Bureau went to this residence address, the landlord confirmed the same and also showed a statement written by Gupta stating that he lived in this house for one year and is terminating the two-year lease contract as he has bought a house in NOIDA. There he stated his new address to be A-63, Sector 83,
NOIDA. 

On checking upon this NOIDA address, it was found out that there is hardly any construction in the area. A worker Ravi Chauhan at a construction site informed that there are no residences in that area. Ravi, who has been working with Surya Constructions since the last seven years, stated that in this sector even the land plotting work is not complete, there is no way anybody could be living here.

According to Sanjay's landlord, he had started vacating his house in phases since June 10. Now, he along with family comprising wife, three children and mother is not traceable. Despite trying his mobile-9811221182-number of times in the last two days, the number continues to remain 'not available'.

In Nehru Place, the news of his disappearance broke on Monday morning, June 27, when other partners from whom he had purchased goods started contacting him on his mobile and landline numbers--but by then it was too late. As the channel partners took stock they realized that most of the action had taken place in the 15 days, preceding June 25. 

Recounted Sunil Narang of Elcom, who knew Sanjay for the last 12 years, “Just last Thursday I called to remind him that his payment is to be due in two-three days.” According to him, Sanjay took material on credit and they had no payment issues with him. Elcom has been hit to the tune of almost Rs 6
lakh. 

“In the 15-days preceding June 25 he was on a buying spree,” recounted Bharat Bhushan of RR Systems adding that there was a pattern. “It was a pre-planned, well-executed disappearance.” Bharat estimated his loss to close to Rs 3.2
lakh.

From Frontline, Sanjay had bought goods worth Rs 3.4 lakh including combo drives and DVD writers. From Ashok Taneja of Softech Computers, he had taken material worth Rs 5.2 lakh. “There would be many such transactions that are yet to come to light,” said Saket Kapur, Secretary, PCAIT. He stated that the total sum involved would easily be over Rs 1.5
crore.

Soon after the news broke, Progressive Channels Association of Information Technology (PCAIT) called an emergency meeting on June 27 to decide on the course of action. Determined to bring the culprit to book the association has deputed V Krishnan, Executive Secretary to lodge a case in the Economic Offences Wing. Krishnan informed that the association is also consulting a lawyer on the case.

SANDHYA MALHOTRA

NEW DELHI