By Arun Pratap SinghGarhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 5 May: A sensational fraud case has stirred political circles in Uttarakhand, with the arrest of an alleged conman by Dehradun Police bringing to light claims of deception involving promises of electoral tickets from Congress party and links to senior political figures. The episode took a dramatic turn when Uttarakhand Congress president Ganesh Godiyal became visibly emotional while addressing the media here today. During the media interaction, Godiyal alleged that a well-orchestrated conspiracy is being hatched against him to tarnish his image and remove him from his post.
The controversy centres around an accused who allegedly duped a woman, Bhawna Pandey, of approximately Rs 25 lakh by posing as the personal assistant to Rahul Gandhi. According to the complaint, the accused contacted Pandey and assured her of securing a Congress ticket in the forthcoming assembly elections, gradually winning her confidence and extracting money through various means. By the time the victim realised she had been defrauded, the amount had already been transferred.
As the matter unfolded, Ganesh Godiyal disclosed that he too had received a call from the same person, who warned him that he was about to be removed from the post of state Congress president. Godiyal admitted that he initially found the claims believable but soon grew suspicious when the caller began referring to alleged “settlements” involving other people. Godiyal claimed that he categorically refused to engage in any such arrangement, asserting that he has committed no wrong.
Godiyal said he has been under considerable mental stress since learning of the alleged conspiracy against him and has not been able to sleep properly for several days. Overcome with emotion during the interaction, he broke down briefly, before regaining composure and continuing his remarks. He maintained that he has always been a straightforward person and reiterated that if the party finds someone more capable of leading it to power, the responsibility of the state unit may be handed over to that person.
Godiyal further urged the police to make public the full extent of the conspiracy, including the motive behind the fraud and the identities of all those who may have been targeted or involved. He alleged that crucial details are still being withheld and emphasised that it is the responsibility of the investigating agency to bring all facts into the public domain. He added that, for the past one and a half months, he had been receiving inputs through various channels about attempts to conspire against him, which had left him deeply disturbed and unable to think clearly.
Meanwhile, the case has also raised questions within political circles, with allegations surfacing that the role of certain leaders linked with the Congress party could be under scrutiny, though no official confirmation has been made in this regard. The unfolding developments have added a fresh dimension to the political discourse in the state, with the fraud case not only exposing vulnerabilities in the system but also triggering a larger debate on internal rivalries and accountability within party structures.
It may be recalled that Doon Police have apprehended the kingpin of an inter-state gang of swindlers who allegedly targeted senior leaders of Congress party by posing as a private secretary to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. The accused, identified as Gaurav Kumar, alias Kanishk Singh, originally hails from Amritsar in Punjab, had allegedly cheated a female public representative Bhawna Pandey of around Rs 25 lakhs after gaining her trust through a sophisticated impersonation scheme. Allegations are that some Congress leaders may also be involved in the conspiracy. However, the Police are yet to disclose anything in this regard so far.
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