A 77-year-old man, Sitaram Gupta, was apprehended by Delhi Police after evading capture for more than 17 years in connection to a cheating case linked to the Army Welfare Housing Organisation (AWHO). His arrest took place at an old-age home in Patiala, Punjab, where he had been living under an assumed identity.
Gupta, originally hailing from Mansa in Punjab, orchestrated a scheme that defrauded numerous individuals by impersonating a Colonel in the Indian Army. He offered fictitious housing schemes and employment opportunities, issuing fake receipts in the process. One notable case reported to the Vivek Vihar police station in 2007 highlighted Gupta’s deception, where he allegedly swindled a complainant out of ₹56,000.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch) Apoorva Gupta revealed that Sitaram Gupta held postgraduate degrees in Economics and History from Panjab University and had once been a student of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. After his initial arrest in 2007, he was released on bail but subsequently failed to appear in court, leading to the issuance of non-bailable warrants against him. He was proclaimed a fugitive by the Karkardooma court on April 26, 2025.
Gupta’s early career as a contractor supplying oil to Army cantonments provided him with insights into military operations, which he exploited to pose as a high-ranking officer. Moving to Delhi in 1987, he adopted the Colonel persona and engaged in multiple fraudulent activities, including three additional cases filed at Shakarpur police station and with the Delhi Crime Branch for offering made-up Army jobs.
A special police team was established to locate him. Acting on an intelligence tip-off, investigators were able to trace Gupta to the old-age home where he was living in obscurity. To evade law enforcement, he had altered his appearance and severed ties with his family. Following confirmation of his identity through surveillance, he was arrested while at the shelter.
During questioning, Gupta confessed to his involvement in various cheating schemes. Police disclosed that he had led a reclusive lifestyle, frequently changing locations and phone numbers to stay off the radar. With his wife deceased and two estranged children, Gupta had intentionally isolated himself during his years on the run.
