Founder and CEO of IMPC, a leading technology training and solutions giant in West Africa, Mr. Amardeep Singh Hari, was arrested by the National Security of Ghana sometime in April 2025.
The respected Indian businessman, who also serves as a shareholder and Board Chairman of Goldcrest — the second-largest gold refinery in Africa — was arrested at the request of his business partner and son, who, as has since emerged, are now wanted fugitives for various crimes including money laundering and identity fraud.
This information is contained in a petition dated September 4, 2025, signed by Mr. Amardeep Singh Hari and submitted to the Criminal Investigations Department of the Ghana Police Service, seeking their arrest and prosecution.
Mr. Amardeep Singh Hari, who was released shortly after his arrest, stated that Ms. Handa and her son, Punar Vasu Handa, falsified records of Goldcrest, including board resolutions and board documents, to incorporate companies abroad. Ms. Handa, in particular, he added, misrepresented to Austrian authorities that Goldcrest had resolved to incorporate a new legal entity named Goldcrest Trading GmbH, headquartered in Vienna, Austria.
With the help of other employees of the firm, the two allegedly misappropriated USD 7,660,000 plus €2,499,671.82 belonging to the company.
According to the petition, USD 1,550,000 was transferred from the company’s accounts with ABSA Bank (No. 0641580554) and Republic Bank (No. 0040181301102) into an account belonging to Trassaco Estates Development Company Limited for the acquisition of a property within the estate by Ms. Niharika Handa and Mr. Punar Vasu Handa. Evidence of the transfer and the offer for the sale of the property was also provided.
It is further alleged that Niharika Handa obtained Ghanaian citizenship without meeting key immigration requirements and may also have engaged in identity fraud not only in Ghana but also in several other countries.
This follows earlier concerns raised by investigators about how Ms. Handa and her son, Vasu Handa, obtained Ghanaian citizenship and passports after residing in the country for fewer years than the mandatory requirement, as well as why the birth year listed in her Ghanaian passport (September 14, 1965) differs from that in her Indian passport (September 14, 1961).
Read the full petition below
4 SEPTEMBER 2025
THE DIRECTOR GENERAL
CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION DEPARTMENT
GHANA POLICE SERVICE
ACCRA
ATTN: COP LYDIA YAAKO DONKOR
Dear Madam,
PETITION TO INVESTIGATE CONCEALMENT OF IDENTITY AS A FUGITIVE FROM JUSTICE, FRAUDULENT ACQUISITION OF GHANAIAN CITIZENSHIP, FALSIFICATION OF ACCOUNTS, MISSAPROPRIATION OF COMPANY VEHICLES, STEALING OF COMPANY MONIES, AND MONEY LAUNDERING AGAINST MS. NIHARIKA HANDA, MR. PUNAR VASU HANDA AND MR. PULKIT ARORA
A. The Petitioner:
1. I am Amardeep Singh Hari. I am an Indian National living at Adjiringanor-Accra. I am a Business Executive. I have lived, conducted business and invested in Ghana for over thirty (30) years. I am also a philanthropist.
2. I am a Founding Partner and Executive Chairman of IPMC Ghana Limited-a leading IT Solutions Company headquartered in Accra. I am also a Founding Shareholder (with 50% shares) and Chairman of the Board of Goldcrest Refinery Limited (hereinafter referred to as “Goldcrest”), a limited liability Company, duly incorporated and licensed under the Laws of the Republic of Ghana and engaged in the business of trading and refinery of gold. (Please see Annexure
1). Currently, I am the acting CEO of Goldcrest.
3. I bring this petition in my tripartite capacity as 50% Shareholder of Goldcrest, Chairman of the Board of Goldcrest and acting CEO of Goldcrest.
B. The Suspects
4. Ms. Niharika Handa is the mother of Mr. Punar Vasu Handa. Ms Niharika is a 50% shareholder of Goldcrest. Ms. Handa’s son, Mr. Punar Vasu Handa was nominated by the Board of Goldcrest to be in charge of the operations and administration of the Company as a Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
15. Mr. Pulkit Arora is the former Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Goldcrest. He has, since April 09, 2024 ceased to be an employee of the company having voluntarily resigned from the company. (See Annexure “2”-Evidence of the resignation).
6. Ms Niharika Handa and Mr. Punar Vasu Handa though originally of Indian Nationality have, in furtherance of their common criminal enterprise acquired Ghanaian citizenship. (See Annexure “3 series” – copies of their Ghanaian Passports and photographs).
7. Mr. Pulkit Arora is an Indian National. (See Annexure “4 series” –his Indian Passport and Photograph).
8. The three suspects, Ms. Niharika Handa, Mr. Punar Vasu Handa and Mr. Pulkit Arora agreed to work together, and did work together with a common purpose to steal monies and properties belonging to Goldcrest and/or launder the monies within and out of the jurisdiction of Ghana
9. Ms. Niharika Handa is also, a fugitive from justice in India. Fourteen (14) nonbailable arrest warrants have been issued against her. She has also, fraudulently acquired a Ghanaian Citizenship and has concealed her identity from law enforcement authorities.
10. It is believed, that Ms. Niharika Handa and Mr.Punar Vasu Handa are currently hiding in London, United Kingdom, UAE, Austria, Ghana or some of the Shengen States whiles Mr. Pulkit Arora is believed to be currently in India, London, Ghana or Nigeria.
11. To the best of my knowledge, Ms. Niharika Handa and Mr. Punar Vasu Handa have since March 2025 been out of the jurisdiction of Ghana and have refused to return to Ghana, having been demanded by my goodself to come and account for their operations with the company.
12. It is important to add, that, the suspects in most of their criminal dealings conspired with other former employees of Goldcrest being: Lakhwinder Singh, Martin Amevor, Ashok Kumar Dobbal (hereinafter referred to as the four ex- employees)
C. The Allegations against Ms. Niharika Handa and/or Mr. PunarVasu Handa
2(i) Fugitive from Justice
13. The New Delhi District Court in India has issued fourteen (14) non-bailable arrest warrants against Ms. Handa having allegedly committed criminal offences and supposed to stand trial under Section 82 of the Indian Criminal Procedure Code in Criminal Revision No. 198/21 in the case of Niharika Handa vs Statebefore the New Delhi District Court. (Please see Annexure 5-evidence of this fact).
14. However, she managed to flee India to Ghana. The arrest warrants remain pending to date.
(ii) Fraudulent Acquisition of Ghanaian Citizenship
15. I am legally advised, and I believe same to be true, that under Ghanaian law, an applicant for Ghanaian Citizenship (naturalization) should meet certain mandatory conditions including that:
a. He has resided in Ghana throughout the period of twelve months immediately preceding the date of the application.
b. During the seven (7) years immediately preceding the period of twelve months, he has resided in Ghana for periods amounting in aggregate to not less than five (5) years.
c. He has not been involved in fraudulent or illegal transactions to which he or she is being wanted by Ghanaian or other countries amongst others.
d. He makes full disclosure of his particulars especially regarding his identity (actual name, date of birth, place of residence, nationality etc) and not conceal any fact, which to his knowledge, upon disclosure can disqualify him.
16. At the time of her application for citizenship, Ms. Handa had not lived in Ghana throughout for a period of twelve (12) months. Again, she had never lived in Ghana for an aggregate period of seven (7) years immediately preceding the twelve months required (of which she did not even meet). Yet, she concealedand/or misrepresented these mandatory statutory conditions from government officials. Moreso, Ms. Handa never disclosed the fact of her criminal records and being on the wanted list of the Indian Authorities prior to applying and even upon acquisition of the Ghanaian Citizenship.
317. Further, the date of birth of Ms. Handa is 14 September 1961. (Please See Annexure 6-her Indian Passport). Yet, she procured her passport with, and misrepresented, that her date of birth is actually 14 September 1965 (please see Annexure “7”-the Ghanaian passport).
18. Indeed, the principal reason for her fraudulent acquisition of the Ghanaian Citizenship was to change her identity and seek solace in Ghana from the Indian Law Enforcement Agencies.
19. With her new status and identity, Ms. Handa has secured visas, travelled to and resided freely in the United Kingdom, UAE and other Schengen states.
(iii) Falsification of Accounts and Forgery of Corporate Documents
20. Ms. Handa and her son Punar Vasu Handa falsified records of Goldcrest, board resolutions and board documents to incorporate companies abroad. Ms. Handa in particular misrepresented to Austrian authorities, that Goldcrest had resolved to incorporate a new legal entity with the name GOLD CREST TRADING GmbH and to be headquartered in Vienna, Austria. She further misrepresented to the Austrian Authorities, that Goldcrest had resolved, that she be the only shareholder of the new entity. (Please see Annexure “8”) evidence of her fraudulently procured resolution.
21. Based on these fraudulent arrangements, Ms Handa, using her falsified date of birth, and Mr. Punar Vasu Handa were successful in incorporating the company. (Please see Annexure “9”) the Austrian incorporation Documents.
22. I state that, the Board of Goldcrest never at any point in time, met or had any meeting or agreement anywhere to incorporate another company affiliated to Goldcrest in Austria.
23. It has now dawned on me, that the Austrian Company, was a conduit to launder monies belonging to Goldcrest.
24. In furtherance of their criminal enterprise, Ms. Niharika Handa, using her falsified date of birth, and Mr. Vasu Handa have incorporated several companies in the United Kingdom. (Please see Annexure “10 series”).
25. In order to further conceal her identity, Ms. Niharika Handa included a further addition to her name “Ajay” as part of incorporation documents in the United Kingdom. It is important to point out that, Mr. Ajay Kumar Handa is the former husband of Ms. Niharika Handa. They divorced several years ago, yet, Ms. Niharika Handa has found it convenient, yet, rather fraudulent to include the ex-husband’s name in her documentations in the United Kingdom to further conceal her true identity and to evade KYC checks. (Please see Annexures “11 series”) evidence of these.
D. The allegations against all three suspects-Ms. Niharika Handa, Mr. Vasu Handa and Mr. Pulkit Arora
(i) Stealing and laundering of company monies.
26. At all material times, until their respective exit from Ghana, Mr. Punar Vasu Handa was the principal operations person of the Company, under the directions mainly of his mother, Ms. Niharika Handa. Mr. Pulkit Arora was also in charge of the financial accounts of the Company as well as withdrawals of cash from the banks, buying of gold etc (Please see Annexures “11-B”).
27. I however began suspecting the operations of the company and demanded an auditing, yet the three (3) of them were not forthcoming. My enquiries revealed that they (including the four ex-employees) were withdrawing large amounts of monies from the banks and pocketing them or using them for other activitiesunknown to me. Especially considering that we are a gold trading company, this became of serious concern to me.
28. Following an internal audit of Goldcrest, it was revealed, that the three suspects had misappropriated an amount of Seven Million, Six Hundred and Sixty Thousand United States Dollars (USD$7,660,000) plus 2,499,671.82 Euros all belonging to the company. (Please see Annexure “12” -Evidence of the audit).
29. Most of these funds were withdrawn in cash or transferred from the Company’s accounts (without any Board approval) into several personal accounts bearing the name of the suspects. (Please see Annexure “13” -a list of about 26 bank accounts connected to the suspects). 30. Infact, One Million Five Hundred and Fifty Thousand United States Dollars (USD$1,550,000.00) was transferred from the company’s account withABSA Bank – No. 0641580554 and Republic Bank – 0040181301102] into an account belonging to Trassaco Estates Development Company Limited towards the acquisition of a property within the estate by Ms. Niharika Handa and Mr.Punar Vasu Handa. (please see Annexure “14 series”) evidence of the transfer and the offer for the sale of the property.
31. Again, an amount of USD324,233.00 out of the total amount stolen was transferred by the suspects towards satisfying a personal debt owed by Mr. Vasu Handa from the company’s accounts without any approval from the Board. (Please see Annexure “15”).
32. Additionally, monies belonging to Goldcrest was utilised in incorporating the Austrian Company as well as various transfers from Goldcrest Bank accounts in Ghana into the Austrian Bank Account being Oberbank with IBAN: AT531500004601047105 and Account No. 4601-047105. (Further evidence of the transfers are Annexure “16”)
(ii) Misappropriation of Company Vehicles and Motorcycles
33. The company acquired several vehicles and motorcycles for its operations. (Please see Annexure “17” –a list of the vehicles and motorcycles). None of these vehicles or motorcycles (numbering about 17) is available at the offices of the company. It is believed, that most of these vehicles and motorcycles are hidden at the last known residence of Ms. Niharka Handa and Mr. Vasu Handa being No. 266, Trassaco Valley, Phase 2-Accra.
34. These vehicle have been unlawfully taken without the consent of the company by the suspects together with the four(4) ex-employees.
35. It is further believed, that some of these vehicles and motor cycles have also been unlawfully sold and the proceeds repatriated outside the jurisdiction of the country and / or transferred or deposited into the personal accounts of the suspects as per Annexure 13 above.
(iii) Misrepresentation to and Abuse of Law Enforcement Agencies
36. When as Chairman of the Board, these matters came to my attention, I made various demands on the suspects to account for their stewardship and operations in the company. They kept on dilly-dallying with me. In a very surprise turn of events, they rather, submitted a petition (falsely alleging same to be emanating from the company) and claimed, that a certain amount of gold that was non-existent was stolen by me and my nephew, when as per the company’s audited accounts of March 31, 2024, the gold in stock was zero.
37. They consequently deceived officers of National Security to launch an investigation and caused my arrest. (See annexure “18 series” evidence of these).
38. I find it quite troubling and worrying, that the very people who are involved in these criminal enterprise were able to ‘swindle’ the state’s security agencies to hide their nefarious activities.
F. Reliefs Sought :
39. By this petition, I respectfully request your high office to launch an investigation into this criminal enterprise, and in particular, but where you find appropriate :
a. Cause an arrest of the suspects (including their various accomplices) and prosecute them but based on due process.
b. Immediately sanction the revocation of the passports fraudulently acquired by any of them.
c. Deport Ms. Niharika Handa to India to face her criminal charges.
d. Recover all the proceeds of the crimes committed.
e. And do any such activity which will safeguard, and protect the security of the state, including its investors such as myself and the company Goldcrest Refinery Limited.
40. I trust in your processes and I respectfully request your urgent intervention.
41. Please, do not hesitate to revert to me for any further information and/or evidence.
Thank you.
Yours faithfully,
Amardeep Singh Hari.
