A 41-year-old Guwahati-based businessman was apprehended by Arunachal Police in a joint operation with Assam police for allegedly cheating contractors of over Rs 52 lakh in a BSNL mobile tower construction project. The accused had secured sub-contracts through his company for building BSNL towers in Aalo and other parts of Arunachal Pradesh.

Local contractors lodged a police complaint, stating that despite completing the civil works for seven towers, the businessman failed to release their dues after receiving full payment from the principal company. The accused had switched off his mobile phone and evaded contact with the complainants and law enforcement agencies for nearly a year.

The arrest, made on August 25, marks a significant success for the police and exposes a wider network of fraudulent dealings in government contracts. West Siang Superintendent of Police Kardak Riba revealed that the investigation has uncovered a pattern of fraud involving the company and its associates, with similar complaints emerging from Papum Pare, Daporijo, and other districts.