Vijayawada, Jan 3 (IANS): Andhra Pradesh Police on Thursday arrested Nowhera Shaikh, the Managing Director of the Hyderabad-based Heera Gold group, in a ponzi scheme case.

The Crime Investigation Department (CID) took the entrepreneur-politician into its custody in Chittoor district.

Shaikh, who was earlier arrested by Hyderabad and Mumbai Police for allegedly duping the investors, hails from Chittoor district. She was recently released on bail in Mumbai.

She is facing allegations of duping investors in various parts of the country by promising high returns.

According to police, Shaikh floated 20 subsidiary companies and collected hundreds of crores from investors by promising returns of over 36 per cent.

Police reportedly found that the turnover of her business increased from Rs 27 lakh in 2010-11 to Rs 800 crore in 2017-18.

Authorities in various states were investigating the allegations that Shaikh violated various laws while expanding her business to different parts of the country and even abroad.

Hyderabad police had arrested her in October for cheating, criminal breach of trust and criminal intimidation. She was also booked under Telangana Deposits of Financial Establishment Act 1999 and The Prize Chits and Money Circulation Schemes (Banning) Act, 1978.

After her release on bail in Hyderabad, she was arrested by Mumbai Police on similar charges.

She came into the limelight in 2018 after she floated All India Mahila Empowerment Party. The party contested Assembly elections in Karnataka but drew a blank.