India, April 7 -- The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Mira-Bhayander-Vasai-Virar (MBVV) police on Sunday arrested the alleged mastermind behind a Rs.22.31-crore land acquisition fraud in connection with the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail (MAHSR), more popularly known as the bullet train project. The fraud, perpetrated on an illiterate woman, was exposed by HT in a March 30 article titled 'Living in the dark shadow of the bullet train'.

Police officials said that the accused, identified as Umesh Harihar Rana, was apprehended in Hyderabad in Telangana after days of intensive search. Rana and seven of his accomplices-Sanjay Joshi, Aslam Sarojiya, Venu Gopal, Kiran Joshi, Kushtha Pai and two others-are accused of orchestrating the scam...