Mumbai Crime: Duo swindle journalist of Rs 11 lakh

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Noted author and journalist Aziz Burney has been cheated of Rs 11 lakh by two people, on the pretext of getting him two agencies of a Patanjali consumer goods company. The group editor of Awami News and Morning India News complained to the Dindoshi police, who registered a case on Wednesday and are investigating.

Gave details on website
As per the statement given to the police, Burney filled the required details for the agency on the company website on December 4, 2018. Police suspect it was a fake website. "Two persons who identified themselves as Rakesh Sharma and Abhishek Rajput called him, posing as the company's representatives, and sent him two offer letters, for the two agencies

"Royal Patanjali Food and cosmetic" and "Royal Patanjali Ayurvedic medicine product" for wholesale & Retail Agenc.These were on the company's letterhead sent via email. They also asked him to deposit Rs 2.5 lakh for each agency on December 7," said a police official from Dindoshi police station.

Paid them money
Police said Burney transferred R5 lakh from his two bank accounts to what he was told was the company's Uttarakhand bank account through RTGS on December 10. Police said a couple of days later, Sharma and Rajput informed him that both his agencies had been registered with the company, and sent him two certificates of registration. They also allegedly informed Burney that he would have to buy company products worth Rs 10 lakh every month and he would get a 40% discount on the purchase of the goods.

Burney rented two shops in Orchid Mall at Royal Palms to begin the business, and also paid R6 lakh to Sharma and Rajput (after subtracting a 40% discount), to purchase the products. But after that, Sharma and Rajput contacted him again, and said that Acharya Balkrishna of the company had said that if he was going to run a wholesale and retail agency, it was compulsory to purchase products worth R30 lakh every month (with a 40% discount). Police said they also allegedly asked him to pay Rs 12 lakh more and threatened him that if he did not pay, the agencies would be not operational.

"Burney tried to contact Acharya Balkrishna but he could not get through to him. He then called the company's office and asked about his registered agencies. He was informed that no such agency had been registered with their company," the official added further.

Police speak
Burney then approached the Dindoshi police, as the amount was transferred from a bank in their jurisdiction. "We have registered the case against unknown persons under Sections 34 (Common intention), 420 (Cheating) of IPC and 66(c), 66(D) of the IT Act," said SI Rajaram Wanmane from Dindoshi police station. Burney was not reachable on the phone.

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