Ambikapur: Surguja Police have exposed a major fraud case, arresting four interstate accused and recovering property worth around ₹37 lakh, including cash, gold jewellery, and mobile phones. The operation was carried out under the direction of DIG and SSP Surguja Rajesh Kumar Agarwal by a joint team of Kotwali police station and the cyber cell.

According to police, the complainant lodged a report on March 8, stating that a woman named Manju, who had been visiting his house for the past 7–8 years to sell ghee, defrauded him along with her associates. On March 7, after Holi, the woman arrived at the complainant’s house with two accomplices and handed over a fake gold biscuit in exchange for nearly 200 grams of gold jewellery and ₹15 lakh in cash.

The complainant grew suspicious shortly after the transaction and got the biscuit examined by a jeweller, who confirmed it was fake. Following this, a case was registered and an investigation was launched.

During the probe, police analyzed CCTV footage and technical evidence to identify the accused and formed special teams to apprehend them. Two accused were arrested from Gujarat and two others from Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh.

The arrested individuals have been identified as Manju Rathore and Santosh Rathore from Gujarat, and Sunita Gujarati and Kamla Gujarati from Prayagraj. Based on their disclosure, police recovered ₹20.31 lakh in cash, around 100 grams of gold bangles, and four mobile phones. During interrogation, the accused admitted that the remaining gold jewellery was sold to a jeweller in Prayagraj.

Police said further investigation is underway and efforts are ongoing to trace other individuals involved in the case. The operation involved Kotwali Station In-charge Shashikant Sinha, Cyber Cell In-charge Ajit Mishra, and other members of the police team.