Top industrialist Pawan Ruia held on theft charge

Kolkata: Noted city industrialist Pawan Ruia was arrested from his Delhi home by state Criminal Investigation Department on Saturday over a complaint against him by the Indian Railways, alleging cheating and forgery to the tune of Rs 50 crores.

He is reportedly the owner of Jessop & Co Ltd which witnessed incidents of looting and arson in its factory at Jessore Road in Dum Dum, north Kolkata, twice in between October 10 and 17.

But a company spokesperson said, “Mr Pawan K Ruia does not hold any position in Jessop & Co Ltd. He is neither a director, nor a shareholder of the company.... We will contest all the charges brought against him in the proper legal forum.”

Mr Ruia will be brought to Kolkata in a flight from New Delhi at night. He will be produced at the Barrackpore Court in North 24 Parganas on Sunday. The CID may pray for his remand.

Deputy inspector general of police (CID) Bharat Lal Meena said that Mr Ruia was caught from his residence at Hazarat Nizzamuddin under Sundar Nagar police station area in connection with a case at the Dum Dum police station under Sections 420 (cheating), 406 (criminal breach of trust) and 409 (criminal breach of trust by a public servant or banker or merchant or agent) of the IPC.

He added, “The case was initiated based on the complaint of deputy director of Railways (Kolkata).”

The CID was after Mr Ruia since the fire and looting at Jessop factory in Dum Dum after the Mamata Banerjee government handed over the case to the state detective agency.