The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Ahmedabad Police has booked a woman proprietor for allegedly duping a pharmaceutical company of over 6.5 crore by defaulting on payments for raw material supplies.
According to a media report, the FIR filed on September 3 by Bhaumikbhai Rameshbhai Patel (33), partner in Macline Pharmaceuticals, the accused, Shitalben Nao alias Shitalben Panchal, proprietor of D M Corporation in Dudheshwar, placed bulk orders for raw materials between May 2022 and January 2023. While she cleared payments of 6.16 crore, dues of around 6.5 crore remain unpaid.
The complaint states that Shitalben initially gained trust by paying for smaller consignments before scaling up orders worth ₹13.7 crore for ingredients such as azithromycin, paracetamol and nimesulide. She allegedly issued a series of post-dated cheques as security, many of which bounced, while others were replaced to delay settlement. Despite repeated assurances, the dues were never cleared.
Patel further alleged that Shitalben has since shut down her office and gone missing, prompting suspicion of deliberate fraud and criminal breach of trust.
The DCB has registered a case under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and the probe has been assigned to the Economic Offences Prevention Branch. Police officials said statements from partners and financial witnesses are being recorded as efforts continue to trace the accused.