Pithoragarh

Pithoragarh court sentences chit-fund fraud couple to 6 years each over ₹28 lakh case

A Special Sessions Court in Pithoragarh has sentenced Abhay Srivastava and his wife, Deepa Srivastava, to 6 years of rigorous imprisonment and fined each ₹20,000. The case followed allegations that their chit-fund company collected ₹28 lakh from more than 250 people before the couple became unreachable.

Editor: Khatima News Published: 06 Oct 2026, 07:03 PM Updated: 06 Oct 2026, 07:03 PM

Pithoragarh court sentences chit-fund fraud couple to 6 years each over ₹28 lakh case.

A Special Sessions Court in Pithoragarh has sentenced Abhay Srivastava and his wife, Deepa Srivastava, to 6 years of rigorous imprisonment each in a fraudulent chit-fund company case. The court also imposed a fine of ₹20,000 on each accused.

Special Sessions Judge Dhananjay Chaturvedi delivered the verdict after hearing the parties and witnesses and examining the evidence. The ruling means Deepa Srivastava, who was out on bail, has been sent to jail. Her husband was already serving a prison sentence in another case.

How the Pithoragarh case began

According to the case record, the couple, residents of C-5852, Rajajipuram, Talkatora, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, opened a chit-fund company in Takana, Pithoragarh. More than 250 people were brought into the company, and Purnima Thapa was appointed as its manager.

The company later allegedly collected ₹28 lakh from local depositors. When people sought the return of their money, the couple could not be contacted. Their phones were switched off, according to the complaint, after which the matter was taken to the police.

Purnima Thapa submitted a complaint to police on 1 September 2017. The investigation concluded with a first information report against both accused being registered on 7 September 2021. Police subsequently filed a charge sheet in court, and the case continued until Monday’s judgment.

Husband already serving sentence in another case

Advocate Pramod Pant, who represented the case, said the couple had also allegedly operated fraudulent chit-fund companies in Lucknow and other cities. First information reports had been registered against them in similar cases in those places, according to the case presentation.

The report states that a court in Lucknow had sentenced both accused to imprisonment in a similar matter. Abhay Srivastava remains in jail while serving that sentence, while Deepa Srivastava had been released on bail. The Pithoragarh verdict now requires her to return to custody.

The court’s decision establishes the outcome of this Pithoragarh prosecution: both accused were found guilty and received the same prison term and fine. The case concerns money collected from local depositors through the company and the subsequent inability of those depositors to contact the accused.

Conclusion

The Pithoragarh Special Sessions Court has convicted Abhay Srivastava and Deepa Srivastava and sentenced each to 6 years of rigorous imprisonment, along with a ₹20,000 fine, in the ₹28 lakh chit-fund case involving more than 250 people.