Bold Journey of an Indian Services (I.S) to Judicial Officer who Now Joins Crimeophobia’s ‘Finance & Law’ Initiative: Trade Hind-Se

Author: Special Correspondent – Bureau  |  Published: 28/03/2026

“As Founder of Crimeophobia, I am honoured to welcome Mr. R.D. Gupta to our leadership framework. He has handled some of the most complicated financial and corporate crimes in Indian history and has served across key institutions including the Indian Corporate Law Services (ICLS), Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the Bombay High Court, and the Debt Recovery Tribunal, along with roles in both the Government and private sector. Notably, he has also been associated with issuing historically rare orders, including proceedings that led to the attachment/seizure of the State of Maharashtra Assembly complex (Mantralaya). With his association, Crimeophobia introduces ‘Trade Hind-Se’, a specialised segment for Finance & Law cases, supported by a dedicated Council of Advisors to address complex deal-driven crimes often ignored due to undefined patterns or locus standi. The Finance & Law office, under his supervision, will operate next to the Bombay Stock Exchange.” — Criminologist Snehil Dhall

Mumbai: Crimeophobia has announced the appointment of Ramdas Bhagwandas Gupta as Council of Advisor (Finance & Law) under Trade Hind-Se, a strategic initiative founded by Criminologist Snehil Dhall to strengthen financial governance, regulatory intelligence, and legal oversight within the organisation. The appointment reflects Crimeophobia’s expanding focus on the intersection of corporate regulation, financial systems, and organized crime, an area in which Dhall has been actively engaged for years through his criminological work and policy advocacy.

As Founder of Crimeophobia, Dhall has consistently highlighted the growing risks posed by financial crime networks operating across borders. His work includes long-standing advocacy for the implementation of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime in India — an international framework signed by the Government of India that places strong emphasis on combating money laundering, financial fraud, illicit financial flows, and transnational criminal syndicates. Through Crimeophobia’s policy research and legal interventions, Dhall has argued that financial crime today often forms the backbone of organized criminal ecosystems. His work has therefore focused on integrating criminological analysis with financial regulation, identifying patterns linking corporate misconduct, financial fraud, political influence networks, and organized criminal activity.

Over the past two decades, Dhall has handled numerous financial fraud and economic offence matters involving individuals, corporations, and multinational companies, including cases connected with regulatory authorities and complex corporate disputes. His investigations and reports, often submitted under reports as per the Evidence Act, have examined issues ranging from corporate governance failures and financial manipulation to large-scale fraud and regulatory violations. To strengthen this financial intelligence dimension within Crimeophobia, Dhall launched the Finance & Law vertical under Trade Hind-Se, bringing together experts from the legal, corporate governance, and financial regulatory ecosystem.

In this context, the inclusion of Ramdas Bhagwandas Gupta adds significant institutional experience to the initiative. Mr. Gupta brings over three decades of service in corporate regulation, judicial administration, and financial recovery mechanisms within the Government of India. As an former IS officer of the Indian Corporate Law Service under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, he served in several senior regulatory roles including Deputy Director, Director, and Registrar of Companies across major jurisdictions such as Maharashtra. His responsibilities included oversight of corporate compliance, investigation of regulatory violations, and prosecution of offences under company law and investigation under S.F.I.O Cell of MCA. Under Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) which was established in the year 2003 includes Multidisciplinary experts in banking, forensic auditing, taxation, law, capital markets, and information technology

During his career he also served on deputation with the Central Bureau of Investigation, gaining extensive exposure to financial and corporate investigations. Mr. Gupta later served as a Judicial Officer at the Debts Recovery Tribunal(s) in Mumbai, adjudicating matters related to recovery of dues owed to banks and financial institutions under the Recovery of Debts Due to Banks and Financial Institutions Act. His role included executing recovery certificates, enforcement directions, and handling complex financial litigation involving large banking claims. One of the most widely reported institutional actions during his tenure occurred in February 2003, when he issued orders directing attachment of offices inside Mantralaya to recover approximately ₹140 crore in dues, making it one of the rare instances where financial recovery proceedings reached the administrative headquarters of a state government.

Beyond the tribunal system, Mr. Gupta served for over six years as a Special Metropolitan Magistrate appointed by the Bombay High Court, presiding over summary criminal matters including financial and regulatory offences. He also served as Official Liquidator / Deputy Official Liquidator attached to Bombay High Court benches in Mumbai and Nagpur, supervising corporate liquidation proceedings, asset realisation, and settlement of creditor claims. Following his retirement from government service in 2018, Mr. Gupta continued to contribute to corporate governance as an Independent Director at Rolta India Limited from October 2020 to October 2023. Academically, he holds M.Com., LL.B., and LL.M. degrees, reflecting deep specialization in corporate law, financial regulation, and institutional governance while he also holds the qualifications of ICLS.

Under Criminologist Snehil Dhall the Trade Hind-Se initiative, Mr. Gupta will advise Crimeophobia – A Criminology Firm on Corporate regulatory intelligence; Financial crime advisory and forensic analysis; Corporate governance frameworks; Banking recovery and insolvency mechanisms; Legal compliance for trade and financial networks. Dhall believes that integrating criminology, financial regulation, and corporate governance is essential for addressing the next generation of economic offences.

“Organized crime today is rarely limited to traditional criminal networks. It operates through financial systems, shell companies, trade manipulation, and regulatory loopholes,” Dhall has noted in his policy interventions. “If India is to effectively implement frameworks like the UNTOC, financial crime analysis must become a core component of criminology and governance.” With the appointment of Ramdas Bhagwandas Gupta, Crimeophobia’s Finance & Law initiative aims to build a multi-disciplinary platform combining regulatory experience, financial intelligence, and criminological analysis to address complex economic crimes and strengthen institutional accountability in India and beyond.