Businessman cheated of Rs 1.84cr in BRTS tender scam

Surat: Khatodara police have registered a cheating case against a man accused of duping a fabrication businessman of Rs 1.84 crore by luring him with a fake Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) tender.

The accused, Rajendra Chaudhary, allegedly promised Chandrakant Nikumbh a contract worth Rs 19 crore for installing grills along the BRTS corridor from Madhuram Circle to Chalthan Highway.

According to the complaint, Chaudhary gained Nikumbh’s trust by producing forged tender documents and a fake bank draft, claiming he was associated with several SMC projects. He allegedly told the businessman that large sums of money would be required to bribe municipal officials and secure the contract.

Believing the claims, Nikumbh allegedly paid Chaudhary a total of Rs 1.84 crore over a period of time.

However, the businessman later grew suspicious and verified the tender details with the SMC, only to discover that the tender documents were fake. He subsequently approached the police and lodged a complaint.