How conman tricked Yogi Adityanath’s UP government with fake Data Centre scam
In what is now being described as one of the biggest multi-level marketing frauds in recent years, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested Sukhvinder Singh Kharour, the CEO of Vuenow Group, and his wife, Dimple Kharour, for orchestrating a massive Ponzi scheme under the guise of cloud technology. The couple defrauded investors of ₹3,558 crore by selling what they called “cloud particles” and luring people into a scheme that promised high rental returns.
However, the scandal does not end at financial fraud. In a stunning revelation, it has come to light that the Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the conman’s company, advertising it as a grand project that would build the "biggest data centre network in the world." What was projected as a revolutionary tech investment for Uttar Pradesh turned out to be an elaborate scam, with thousands of crores siphoned off by the fraudsters.
On November 20, 2022, the Uttar Pradesh government, in the presence of then Chief Secretary Durga Shankar Mishra, signed an MoU with Vuenow Marketing Services Ltd (VMSL) to establish 750 edge data centres across all districts of the state. The project was widely promoted as a groundbreaking initiative that would position UP as a global leader in digital infrastructure, aiding advancements in 5G, blockchain, artificial intelligence, and big data analytics. The state government proudly announced that it was building the world’s largest data centre network, a claim that now stands completely discredited.
However, what was marketed as a high-tech initiative was, in reality, a front for an elaborate Ponzi scheme. Sukhvinder Singh Kharour had no real expertise in data centres or cloud storage. Instead, he and his associates manipulated investors by selling them non-existent "cloud particles" (essentially server storage space) and promised lucrative returns through a sale-and-lease-back model. Investors were told that these "cloud particles" would be leased to major tech firms and generate high rental incomes.
The entire scheme began to unravel when complaints started pouring in from investors who were not receiving their promised returns. The ED launched a probe into Vuenow in October 2024, suspecting money laundering activities. Investigations revealed that instead of investing the money in data centres, the fraudsters were using new investors’ money to pay off older investors, a classic hallmark of a Ponzi scheme. The company was also found to have been laundering funds through a network of shell companies.
On November 24, 2024, an FIR was filed at Sector-58 police station in Noida against Vuenow and its associated entities. ED officials then conducted searches at Vuenow’s premises in Sector-62, where the company operated from the eighth floor of IThum Tower. These raids revealed a shocking paper trail showing that despite the grand MoU with the UP government, no real infrastructure had ever been built.
As the investigation progressed, authorities issued lookout notices against Sukhvinder and Dimple, but the duo managed to escape. They went underground, reportedly taking refuge in Nepal to evade arrest. After months of tracking, intelligence agencies located them and forced them to return to India. The couple was arrested on February 28, 2025, at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport as they attempted to flee once again.
During the investigation, the ED seized assets worth hundreds of crores linked to the scam. In February, the agency attached ₹178.12 crore in properties in Punjab and confiscated 26 luxury vehicles, valued at over ₹80 crore, all purchased using money looted from investors.
Further scrutiny of Vuenow’s financial records revealed the staggering scale of the deception. The company had only 2,701 terabytes (TB) of actual storage capacity but had sold over 6.7 lakh cloud particles, vastly overstating its assets to lure investors. The fraudsters had also transferred huge sums abroad, instead of using them to build data centres.
The Yogi Adityanath government now finds itself in an embarrassing position. The much-touted MoU, which was supposed to be a game-changer for UP's digital infrastructure, has been exposed as a sham. The promise of a ₹13,500 crore investment in data centres was nothing more than a PR stunt that masked a massive financial fraud. The fact that the UP government publicly endorsed Vuenow without conducting due diligence raises serious questions about the state’s vetting process for investment projects.
The special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in Jalandhar has remanded Dimple Kharour to five days of custody and Sukhvinder to ten days.
Authorities revealed that Vuenow and its subsidiaries, Zebyte Infotech Private Limited and Zebyte Rental Planet Private Limited, were involved in rotating investors’ money instead of generating actual revenue. As per officials, “The cloud sale and lease-back model was found to be non-existent, and proceeds of crime amounting to ₹3,558 crore were used for personal luxuries instead of business purposes.”
The investigation has also revealed that the fraud extended beyond Vuenow, with money being funneled into production companies controlled by Dimple Kharour, such as Avni IT Infra Ventures Ltd, Kharour Films LLP, and Fruitchaat Entertainment Pvt Ltd. None of these businesses had any connection to cloud computing, further proving that the entire enterprise was a front for siphoning money.
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Punjab: Blast near army cantt area in Amritsar, hours after explosion in Jalandhar
Chandigarh (PTI): An explosion occurred near the army cantonment area in Khasa late Tuesday night in Punjab's Amritsar, the second such incident which took place around three hours after a blast outside the headquarters of the Border Security Force's Punjab Frontier in Jalandhar.
According to the police, an investigation into both blast incidents is currently underway, and no injuries have been reported.
The first explosion happened around 8 pm in Jalandhar, while the second blast occurred at approximately 11 pm in Amritsar.
Amritsar (Rural) Senior Superintendent of Police Suhail Mir Qasim stated that police received reports of a loud sound at around 11 pm on a road in Khasa. "Our teams arrived on the scene immediately," he said.
Preliminary inspections indicated that someone had thrown an explosive device towards the boundary wall, leading to the explosion, according to the SSP.
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Police mentioned that a piece of a tin sheet covering the boundary wall had fallen as a result of the blast.
Following the explosion, a team of forensic and bomb disposal squad visited the site to collect samples.
Amritsar Rural Superintendent of Police Aditya S. Warrier, who also visited the scene, confirmed that further investigations are ongoing. Police added that a team of army officials also assessed the situation, after which the area was cordoned off.
CCTV footage from the vicinity shows the explosion occurring at night. A local villager reported that his family was awakened by the loud sound and came outside their home to see what had happened.
Before the Amritsar explosion, a blast took place outside the headquarters of the Border Security Force's Punjab Frontier in Jalandhar district around 8 pm on Tuesday, causing panic in the area.
CCTV footage captured the explosion, which resulted in a cloud of smoke. An unidentified man was seen running for cover following the blast.
The blast ripped apart a scooter, damaged a traffic signal pole and windowpanes of a nearby shop. Locals recounted that the scooter, which was parked outside the BSF headquarters, Punjab Frontier, caught fire shortly after a loud sound. It belonged to Gurpreet Singh, who regularly delivers parcels in the area.
Talking to reporters on Tuesday night, one of Gurpreet's relatives said that the scooter caught fire as he was approaching it. He immediately called his father and informed him about the incident.
Jalandhar Police Commissioner Dhanpreet Kaur confirmed to reporters late Tuesday that an Activa scooter parked near the gate caught fire suddenly. She stated that Gurpreet is fully cooperating with the investigation.
Witnesses nearby reported hearing a loud sound following the explosion.
On April 27, an explosion occurred at a freight corridor rail track in Shambhu in Patiala. Police had arrested four members of a pro-Khalistan terror module, backed by Pakistan's ISI, for the blast.
In light of these incidents, opposition parties have condemned the AAP government for its handling of the situation.
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Sukhbir Singh Badal criticised Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, who also holds the home portfolio, over the recent blasts.
"Three blasts in 10 days, two in a single day, May 5: Jalandhar outside BSF headquarters and Sri Amritsar Sahib Army area, April 27: Rajpura rail track. Continued intelligence failures and the collapse of law and order are a matter of grave concern. Chief Minister @BhagwantMann, who is also the state Home Minister, is busy with mimicry and cheap politics. He has forfeited the right to remain in office," Badal said in a post on X.
Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring also slammed the Mann government over the two blasts.
"Back-to-back blasts have shaken Punjab. Yesterday in Jalandhar, and now near Khasa Camp in Amritsar, this is deeply alarming. Who is trying to destabilise our state? Why has the Punjab Government failed to prevent such incidents? What is the Government of India doing? Repeated lapses point to a serious breakdown of intelligence and security. Punjab's peace cannot be compromised. We demand accountability and immediate action," Warring said in a post on X.
