Meinhardt, a Singapore-based company with a history of involvement in frauds and hawala scams amounting to several thousand crores of rupees in Pakistan, has expressed interest in undertaking the Musi River rejuvenation project in Hyderabad.
Omar Shehzad, the CEO of the organization, met with Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and delivered a PowerPoint presentation outlining the work undertaken by his group. Despite the company’s international criminal history, doubts have arisen regarding its participation in this prestigious project and the Chief Minister’s direct engagement with its representatives.
Meinhardt is under scrutiny due to its tainted past in Pakistan. The company, headed by owner Nasim Shehzad and CEO Omar Shehzad, has faced allegations of cheating the government and people of Pakistan through various scams. Cases include fraudulent practices in a residential project, involvement in a Rs. 300 crore Hawala scam, and the collection of substantial sums from home buyers in the name of advances and EMIs for the Creek Marina project.
Naseem Shehzad and Omar Shehzad were declared fugitive criminals by the Pakistan government in November, prompting them to cease operations in the country. Reportedly, the firm is also involved in a scam in Jharkhand.
During the meeting with Meinhardt company representatives, the Chief Minister instructed the company to design models aligned with Hyderabad’s future needs, considering the upcoming expansions of the Outer Ring Road, Regional Ring Road, and railway lines around the city.
The question that remains is whether the officials who invited Meinhardt to Hyderabad were aware of the company’s fraudulent history in Pakistan.