Ex-SP MLA arrested in Mumbai for cheating UP minister’s sister

Pasi and his wife accused of duping two individuals, including Ruchi Goyal, of ₹98 lakh on the pretext of selling a flat in Mumbai in October 2023

LUCKNOW Former Samajwadi Party MLA Subhash Pasi, accused of cheating UP excise minister Nitin Agarwal’s sister Ruchi Goyal on the pretext of selling a flat in Mumbai, was arrested by the UP Police from the Maharashtra capital and brought back to Hardoi on Wednesday, said SP (Hardoi) NK Jadaun on Thursday.

The court issued non-bailable warrants (NBWs) against Pasi and his wife on January 9, 2025, after issuing multiple warrants for their appearance in the case, following which he was arrested from Mumbai (Pic for representation)

Pasi was produced before the competent court, which in turn sent him to judicial custody, he said.

Subhash Pasi had remained two-term MLA of the Samajwadi Party from Saidpur assembly of Ghazipur district after winning assembly polls in 2012 and 2017. He contested the 2022 elections on a BJP ticket but lost.

The officer said Nitin Agarwal’s elder sister Ruchi Goyal had lodged an FIR against the former MLA and his wife Reena Pasi in connection with allegations of fraud and gangster activities. Pasi and his wife were accused of duping two individuals, including Ruchi Goyal, of ₹98 lakh on the pretext of selling a flat in Mumbai in October 2023.

The court issued non-bailable warrants (NBW) against Pasi and his wife on January 9, 2025, after issuing multiple warrants for their appearance in the case, following which he was arrested from Mumbai.

He said the case was registered in Kotwali Dehat police station of Hardoi district and the police had filed the chargesheet in the court for further legal proceedings. He was arrested in Mumbai on January 21 and later produced in a local Mumbai court to procure his two days transit remand. He said the former MLA’s wife Reena is still on the run in the matter.

Another officer said one Prakash Chandra Gupta, a resident of Railwayganj, Hardoi, filed an FIR alleging that Subhash Pasi and his wife Reena lured him into purchasing a flat in Mumbai’s Aramnagar area for ₹2.5 crore. Gupta met the couple and paid ₹49 lakh via a cheque issued by Ruchi Goyal. He said the cheque was encashed, but the promised flat was never handed over to the purchaser. When Gupta confronted the couple in Mumbai, they allegedly handed him forged documents, added the officer.

Besides, one Akshay Agarwal of Hardoi also accused the couple of defrauding him of ₹49 lakh. Chargesheets in both cases were filed on January 31, 2024, accusing the couple under multiple IPC sections of fraud and cheating as well as the Gangsters Act.