After a 34-day chase, Bhupendrasinh Zala, the prime accused in the ₹6,000 crore BZ Group scam was apprehended and sent to 7-day police custody on Saturday.

A day after his arrest on Friday, Zala was presented in court following interrogation, where the CID Crime requested a 14-day remand. However, the court approved a 7-day remand. 

Notably, Zala fled from Aravalli to Madhya Pradesh, then to Rajasthan, and later to Banaskantha and Mehsana.

He travelled across various states and districts in India, staying in hotels and farmhouses during this time.

To evade arrest, he reportedly purchased new SIM cards daily, stayed in contact with family and associates, and consistently changed locations. 

Investigations are ongoing to determine who Zala was in contact with. Kiran Singh and his female associate, a Gujarat police inspector, who allegedly provided shelter to Zala, are also being questioned. Zala was reportedly hiding at Singh’s farmhouse.

What was the scam?

Zala allegedly orchestrated ₹6,000 crore scam through the BZ Group, operated under the guise of multiple companies in north and central Gujarat.

He lured investors with promises of doubling their returns. After being on the run for over a month, the CID Crime successfully apprehended him.

Police teams had been assigned to track him down, and technical surveillance led to his arrest at a farmhouse in Devda village near Visnagar, Mehsana district. 

The public prosecutor informed the rural court that Zala only had a license to operate in Talod, Sabarkantha. Despite this, he recruited agents, established an extensive network, and formed multiple companies without any licenses or permissions. Through these agents, he collected crores of rupees in investments from people.

The prosecution also revealed that Zala amassed immense wealth in the form of movable and immovable assets in his and his family’s name. A thorough investigation is underway into the entire scam.

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CID crime arrests ₹6,000 crore scam accused Bhupendrasinh Zala from Mehsana