Former India cricketer Rajesh Chauhan has landed in legal trouble after an FIR was registered against him for allegedly cheating a man of more than ₹15 lakh by promising to secure a transport contract with a steel company.
The case was registered at Mohan Nagar Police Station on Friday following directions from a local court under Section 316(2) of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), which deals with criminal breach of trust.
Confirming the development, Station House Officer Keshav Kosale said the matter is under investigation.
“The matter is under investigation. Further action will be taken based on the findings,” Kosale told PTI.
The FIR was registered after Judicial Magistrate First Class Aishwarya Diwan, on July 16, directed the police to investigate the complaint filed by Dinkar Vishwamitra under Section 175(3) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS).
According to the complaint, Chauhan claimed he had strong business connections and told Vishwamitra that his company, Govind Transport Company, had secured a transport contract from Jindal Steel in Odisha’s Keonjhar district for transporting iron ore.
The complainant alleged that Chauhan convinced him to invest in the business by purchasing trucks, promising attractive returns. To support his claims, Chauhan allegedly showed work order documents purportedly issued in favour of Govind Transport Company.
Believing the documents to be genuine, Vishwamitra entered into an agreement with Chauhan on July 30, 2021. He initially paid ₹2.51 lakh through cheque and later transferred another ₹15.01 lakh in two instalments to the company’s bank account.
However, after Chauhan allegedly stopped responding, Vishwamitra approached Jindal Steel for verification. According to the complaint, the company informed him that neither Chauhan nor Govind Transport Company had been awarded any such contract and that the documents shown to him were forged.
The complainant further alleged that despite filing written complaints with the local police and the Durg Superintendent of Police, no FIR was registered, forcing him to approach the court.
After reviewing the material, the court observed that a cognisable offence appeared to have been committed and noted the police’s earlier inaction. It found prima facie evidence suggesting Chauhan had dishonestly obtained money, making a detailed investigation necessary.
Chauhan, however, has denied the allegations and described the matter as a business dispute.
“Some money of the complainant has already been returned, while repayment of the remaining amount has been delayed due to personal circumstances,” Chauhan had earlier told PTI.
