Conman bilking millions from double-tracking rail project

By Teoh El Sen - Free Malaysia Today

PETALING JAYA: Well-dressed and speaking fluent Queen's English, a local man claiming to have connections with high-profile figures in India, has allegedly conned more than 40 local companies with offers of contracts in large-scale government projects.

The man, a 56-year-old known only as 'Baladevan', has allegedly raked in over RM5 million from his victims in a span of 10 years.

One of the projects he 'sold' to these companies was an offer to be sub-contractors in the Seremban-Gemas double-tracking project in Negeri Sembilan.

Baladevan claimed close relationship with high-profile figures from India's Ministry of Railways, Railway Board and the main contractor Ircon International Limited.

The matter was brought to the attention of FMT by Consumers Association of Subang and Shah Alam (Cassa) president Jacob George.

Jacob initiated an extensive investigation into the man after two companies for which he had acted as legal advisor, fell victim to the scam.

He said the man's modus operandi was to approach companies and individuals proposing deals to be sub-contractors for the project.

He would claim to have ties with the 'powers that be' and that he was appointed as the official middleman by them.

Baladevan would then show them 'official documents' including 'a letter of award' between the Malaysian and Indian governments to prove that he was legitimate.

To further convince his victims, he even provided the full detailed designs, specifications, and prices of the said projects, always shown on a laptop he carries.

His victims would then pay a fee, said to be around RM300,000 to RM400,000, to lobby for the contract. They would later realise they had been dupped after the suspect had disappeared.

Jacob added that the man used a RM2 company called Zen bridge Sdn Bhd in several of his dubious transactions.

"Baladevan could not have acted alone without assistance from individuals in Delhi and Chennai. The documents all looked legitimate.

"The government of India must do its part to ascertain that they conduct exhaustive investigations, leaving no stones unturned," said Jacob.

Jacob said Baladevan had claimed that he was a relative of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi through marriage; claiming his nephew, a Singaporean by the name of G Aravindran was married to the CM's daughter, Kanimozhi.

"He also tells people his brother had worked as a 'special officer' to a former Works Minister S Samy Vellu. He was believable partly due to his age and the names he throws around and the people he has been seen with, " said Jacob.

Indian government must come clean
Jacob urged the Indian government and the Ministry of Transport of Malaysia to investigate the following:

• Who gave Baladevan the confidential letter of award for the Seremban-Gemas double track project between Malaysia and India?
• How did he get access to the total designs, specifications, drawings, pricing of the entire Seremban-Gemas project he showed to contractors to convince them?
• Who gave him two letters to Malaysian companies claimed to be from India's Ministry of Railway's Railway Board?
• An individual by the name of AP Misra was repeatedly named by Baladevan. What is AP Misra's role in all these allegations? Is he a victim or a player?

Jacob said he had notified Indian government officials, but to date, has not gotten any satisfactory reply in black-and-white, except a denial of any knowledge of the conman.
Jacob claimed Baladevan paid hundreds of thousands of ringgit to the said policymakers (ministers of rail and members of the railway board) to facilitate these approvals which included expensive branded watches, pens, jewellery and suits.

"I had personally visited New Delhi on three occasions and met the minister, senior railway ministry officials, the managing director and his top management team at Ircon International. It's for the government to explain officially whether it is forgery or not," said Jacob.

Jacob said Cassa received numerous complaints on the issue and urged those who have been cheated by this man to lodge police reports and to contact them at their hotline 016-3261700, promising confidentiality for informants.

"A third party has also come forward to offer a reward of RM5,000 to anyone who could provde information that will lead to the arrest and conviction of Baladevan who has financially ruined the lives of more than 27 individuals," he added.

On Jan 7, 2008, the Malaysian government announced that Indian company, Ircon International Limited (a subsidiary of Indian Railway), won the RM3.45billion contract to build the Seremban-Gemas Electrification and Double Tracking railway system.

The 100km railway project is scheduled to be completed by 2012.