A large-scale financial fraud has surfaced in Gorakhpur, where a local contractor was allegedly cheated of ₹80 lakh by a gang that lured him into a fake investment scheme linked to NASA. Police have arrested the main accused, Sukanta Banerjee, while efforts are ongoing to trace other members of the group. A case has been registered under charges of cheating, criminal conspiracy, and violations of the Information Technology Act.
According to police reports, the fraud began in 2019 when Sukanta Banerjee posed as a global investment advisor and approached contractor Madan Mohan Shukla with an offer to invest in a supposed “special research project” under the U.S. space agency NASA. He promised the victim profits up to 100 times the investment amount.
To make the scheme appear genuine, Banerjee and his accomplices produced forged documents, fake emails, and digital contracts, claiming the project was backed by the U.S. government and carried no financial risk. Trusting the claims, the contractor transferred ₹80 lakh to accounts provided by the gang.
Investigations later revealed that the group operated through fake companies and bank accounts across Chandigarh, Delhi, and West Bengal. Two women, including a government officer from Chandigarh and another named Shalini, were reportedly part of the network. The fraudsters created shell companies and digital wallets to channel the funds.
When the victim sought project updates, Banerjee stopped responding. On contacting NASA through official channels, the contractor discovered that no such investment scheme existed. He then filed complaints with the Gorakhpur Police, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and the Cyber Crime Cell.
During interrogation, Banerjee confessed to defrauding several investors across India through similar fake “NASA investment schemes.” Police also confirmed his involvement in a 2019 cyber fraud case in Lucknow, where he had been fined ₹10,000.
Investigations by the Ramgarh Tal Police uncovered that the gang had created a nationwide network targeting contractors, business owners, and government suppliers. They promised high returns on international “research-based” investments. Evidence suggests that part of the defrauded money was transferred to cryptocurrency wallets and foreign accounts.
Police have sent teams to Chandigarh, Delhi, and West Bengal to locate the remaining suspects. Authorities warned citizens to verify any foreign investment claims directly through official government or institutional websites, reminding the public that global agencies like NASA or ISRO never invite private investments.
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