New Delhi, 13 May (H.S.):

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested five accused in connection with the Loni Urban Multi‑State Credit and Savings Cooperative Society (LUCC) chit‑fund scam in Uttarakhand, the agency said on Wednesday. The arrested include alleged kingpin Sushil Gokhru along with Rajendra Singh Bisht, Tarun Kumar Maurya, Gaurav Rohilla and Mamta Bhandari, who were detained from various locations across the country.

The CBI stated that the case pertains to LUCC. In 2025, the Uttarakhand High Court ordered that all first‑information reports relating to this scam be transferred to the CBI. Thereafter, on 26 November 2025, the CBI registered a case under relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code, the Code of Criminal Procedure, the Uttarakhand Protection of Depositors’ Interests Act, and the law that prohibits irregular deposit schemes.

Investigations have revealed that more than one lakh investors in the state were lured into placing funds in various irregular deposit schemes connected to the fraud. Total investments are estimated at approximately Rs 800 crore, of which partial payments were made, while the amount defrauded exceeds Rs 400 crore.

The CBI said that principal accused Sameer Agarwal and his wife Saniya Agarwal have fled abroad; notices and lookout circulars have been issued against them. The agency formed a special team to apprehend the accused based on technical surveillance and intelligence from sources.

Probes have further shown that the accused purchased multiple immovable properties using proceeds of crime. Details of these properties have been forwarded to the Finance Secretary of the Government of Uttarakhand so they may be seized and distributed to the victim‑investors under the provisions of the Prohibition of Unregulated Deposit Schemes Act, 2019.

The arrested persons are being produced before a competent court. The investigation is ongoing.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar