Bizman arrested for cheating MEA, Congo government

Democratic Republic of Congo’s advocate in India informed Agarwal about the withdrawal on December 4, 2017, and also requested him to stop using the post with immediate effect.

Mumbai A 33-year-old Andheri businessman was arrested for allegedly pretending to be an honorary consul of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in India, despite the DRC government and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) withdrawing his name from the post four years ago.

Agarwal kept on misusing the post and allegedly enjoyed many privileges and took direct and indirect benefits by attending government and social functions (HT File)

The accused, Amit Agarwal, was arrested from his Andheri (east) residence on Friday afternoon. He was booked on the complaint of police inspector Ravindra Katkar attached to the foreign regional registration office (FRRO) of Mumbai police’s special branch-2.

Katkar stated in the complaint that Kasongo Musenga, the first advocate for the DRC government in India, in an email dated May 21 to FRRO, said the DRC government had on September 27, 2017, requested the MEA to withdraw Agarwal’s appointment from the honorary consul’s post. MEA approved the request on October 30, 2017.

Following this, DRC’s advocate in India informed Agarwal about the withdrawal on December 4, 2017, and also requested him to stop using the post with immediate effect.

However, despite this, Agarwal kept on misusing the post and allegedly enjoyed many privileges and took direct and indirect benefits by attending government and social functions and contacting organisations under the state and central governments, the FRRO officer stated in the complaint.

After an FIR was registered against Agarwal, he moved to courts seeking pre-arrest bail. However in September 2021, Bombay high court rejected his anticipatory bail application. He is arrested for cheating by impersonation. He was produced before a court and remanded to police custody up to April 12.