Meerut, May 27 -- The Bareilly police arrested Rajesh Maurya, director of Shri Ganga Infracity Private Limited, who had been absconding for over a year and a half after allegedly duping city residents of Rs.300 crore through a massive real estate investment scam. Maurya was presented in court and subsequently sent to jail, police said on Monday. According to officials, Maurya masterminded the elaborate fraud nearly six years ago, promising investors lucrative returns in land development schemes. By showing them plots near Kamua Mod and offering to double their money, he lured thousands into pouring crores into his company. The operation was run from an office situated in front of Green Park, which soon became a hotspot for hopeful investors, including prominent businessmen, influential locals, and white-collar professionals. Maurya initially built trust by issuing cheques of double the invested amount to early investors. As word spread and the scheme gained traction, he amassed a fortune. However, once a significant amount of money was collected, he locked up the company office and vanished along with his close aides. Even after multiple FIRs were registered against him by aggrieved investors at the Baradari police station, Maurya managed to stay out of jail, allegedly using his financial clout. Police froze his bank accounts, but by then, he had already siphoned off the funds and invested heavily in real estate assets. The turning point came when Maurya failed to appear in court in a cheque bounce case. A non-bailable warrant was issued against him, but he continued to evade the law. Eventually, the court of additional district judge (Negotiable Instruments Act) Harihar Prasad Yadav directed the senior superintendent of police (SSP) to arrest Maurya and produce him in court. The directive led to an intensive manhunt, culminating in his arrest from Vaishnopuram Colony on Sunday. Maurya's fraudulent empire was supported by a well-oiled network of agents, whom he incentivised with lavish gifts - from motorbikes to luxury cars - based on the amount of investment they brought in. Several agents, influenced by these perks, roped in their acquaintances and relatives, significantly expanding the scam's reach. Following Maurya's disappearance, many of these agents, fearing police action, surrendered their vehicles at local police stations. SSP Anurag Arya said, "The accused has 12 cases pending against him. Further investigations are underway to trace his assets and identify additional accomplices involved in the large-scale financial fraud"....