Prashant Rokde, an IRS officer from the Maharashtra cadre, is facing non-bailable arrest warrants for allegedly defrauding a Jalandhar-based investor of Rs 17.41 crore. The officer, known for his close association with top BJP leaders, including Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, has filed a bail petition, which is set to be heard on October 25.
Rokde, along with 18 others, has been booked by the Jalandhar City police under Sections 406, 420, 506, and 120-B of the IPC. The complaint, lodged on March 27 by a resident of Urban Estate, alleges that Rokde and his team duped him while he was planning a business venture for his son. The complainant was introduced to Rokde through Amritsar-based Tilak Raj, who presented the IRS officer as the Joint Commissioner of the Customs Department in New Delhi.
The complainant invested Rs 20 crore in a wine business proposed by Rokde, with the promise of making Rs 170 crore by February 2023. Funds were transferred into the accounts of Rokde’s associates, including Tilak Raj and Shrirang Chandrachurh. Police have arrested Raj and Chandrachurh, and further investigations are underway. Commissioner of Police Swapan Sharma confirmed the probe.
