Lucknow | Former IPS officer and Azad Adhikar Sena chief Amitabh Thakur was detained by Uttar Pradesh Police on Wednesday from the Sitapur–Maholi border while travelling to Delhi. The action was taken in connection with an alleged fraud case dating back to 1999, involving the acquisition of an industrial plot in Deoria district.
According to officials, police personnel in plain clothes intercepted Thakur on board a train and escorted him off after he failed to cooperate with the ongoing investigation.
Allegations of Forgery and Misuse of Position
The case stems from a complaint by Sanjay Sharma, a resident of Rajajipuram, who accused Thakur’s wife, Nutan Thakur, of securing Industrial Plot No. B-2 at the District Industries Centre in Deoria using a false identity under the name “Nootan Devi.” She allegedly submitted fake application forms, forged affidavits, fabricated transfer deeds, and used a false Bihar address.
Amitabh Thakur is accused of leveraging his official position—he was Deoria SP at the time—to support the fraudulent allotment. Police sources claim the couple later sold the plot using their real identities.
An FIR was filed at Talkatora police station in September under sections pertaining to cheating, forgery, and criminal conspiracy. Both Amitabh and Nutan Thakur’s social media accounts have also been suspended.
SIT Confirms Evidence
The case is being probed by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed by Lucknow Deputy Commissioner of Police Vishwajeet Srivastava, who stated that Thakur’s detention was based on verified evidence gathered during the inquiry.
“He will be produced before a Deoria court since the incident occurred there,” the DCP said.
As part of its probe, the SIT collected documents from Deoria, verified the alleged fake addresses in Bihar, scrutinized official records, and questioned key witnesses.
Background
Amitabh Thakur, a 1992-batch IPS officer, was given premature retirement by the Union Home Ministry in March 2021.
Police officials say the investigation has uncovered sufficient material to proceed against the accused, bringing renewed focus to the long-standing allegations of fraud involving the former officer and his wife.
