Kanpur: When Ravindra Nath Soni, considered the mastermind of a Rs 1500 crore international fraud scheme, appeared before the Special Investigation Team (SIT), his usual swagger was gone. This was the same man who used to attract crowds of investors to five-star hotels, claimed to have an office near the Burj Khalifa, and showed crores in profits to foreign companies. Yet, in the initial minutes of questioning, he folded his hands and said, “Sir, I was just making a living selling kachoris in Dubai… it had become difficult to support my family.”
However, the SIT had no reason to believe his claim. Before them lay stacks of papers, laptops, bank statements, investor complaints, and details of foreign accounts. The police officers knew that the story wasn’t just about “selling kachoris,” but about a multi-crore fraud that had robbed people not only in India but also in Japan, China, the US, and several other countries of their peace of mind.
According to media reports, during questioning, the SIT presented Soni with information about his bank accounts, company registrations, foreign funding, and associates. These were the same companies he had been using for the past seven years to lure investors with promises of high returns.
ADCP Crime Anjali Vishwakarma’s team also questioned him about his alleged high-profile connections. The team showed him videos of himself with actors and wrestlers, which he used to gain the trust of investors. Soni tried to evade the questions by claiming these were just “formal meetings,” but the SIT continued to find inconsistencies in his story. He admitted that there were several directors in the company, and all of them withdrew their share of the money from time to time. When the pressure from investors increased, he panicked and fled from Dubai to Dehradun.
During the interrogation, Soni repeatedly tried to portray himself as poor. He claimed he was selling kachoris at a small outlet in Dubai to somehow support his family. But the electronic gadgets, business cards, and email trails found with him told a different story. Millions of dollars were transacted through Soni’s office in Dubai. He often organized glamorous events in five-star hotels to attract foreign investors, aiming to give the company the image of a global brand. His main company, Bluechip Commercial Broker, had been active since 2018, and it was through this company that foreign investors’ money was routed under the guise of investments in real estate and gold mining.
Dubai police records showed no mention of him leaving the country. This meant he had left through illegal means, not through the proper legal channels. It was later discovered that in August, he crossed the Dubai desert on foot, entered Oman with the help of a smuggling gang, and from there took a flight to India, arriving in Dehradun. When local investors complained to the Dubai police, they were told that Soni could not have left the country, but a few days later, when news of his arrest in Kanpur broke, everyone was shocked.
The investigation revealed that Soni had at least 16 registered companies. Many of these were registered under different names and promoters so that if one company was investigated, the entire network would not be affected. These include: Bluechip Commercial Broker, Bluechip Freehold Real Estate Brokers, Wall Street Investment LLC, Bluechip Financial Market Limited Branch, Bluechip Investment LLC. Through these companies, he lured foreign nationals into investing by promising huge profits. The investigation has revealed that those working with him included names like Gurmeet, Hitesh, Dharvesh, Abhishek Singhal, Surendra Madhukarrao Dudhwadkar, and Ritu Parihar. The SIT is keeping a close watch on the roles of several of these individuals.
Kanpur Police Commissioner Raghubir Lal said that more than 700 people have been found to be victims of this fraud so far. Many victims have come to Kanpur to file FIRs, while many have filed complaints via email. Some complainants claimed that during the promotional activities, Soni’s team used the names of “big celebrities” to gain their trust. Several investors are mentioning the names of The Great Khali and Sonu Sood. The police have included this angle in the investigation to determine if their photos were misused. Approximately 90% of the victims are Indian, while the rest are from countries such as Nepal, China, Japan, the US, and France. Japanese companies had invested heavily in Bluechip, and many of these Japanese investors are still seeking legal assistance to recover their capital.
Sony told the SIT that as foreign investors did not receive returns, the pressure increased. Several foreign nationals approached his office, and complaints were filed against him in Dubai. Meanwhile, his Indian network also started withdrawing money, further depleting his companies’ cash reserves. This is why he decided to leave Dubai and crossed the border without a passport stamp.
Due to the magnitude of the case, the Police Commissioner formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) on Sunday. The team is headed by ADCP Crime Anjali Vishwakarma and comprises a total of six officers. This team will investigate the financial transactions, bank accounts, and foreign transactions related to the 16 companies.
The conman said, “I’m making a living by selling kachoris… he will reveal the secrets.”
