Maharashtra: 82-year-old NRI cheated of Rs 32 lakh; 3 booked by Navi Mumbai police

Representational Image

An 82-year-old NRI staying with his son in Maharashtra's Navi Mumbai after return from Dubai has been allegedly cheated of Rs 32 lakh by three persons who threatened to get him arrested for various offences, Navi Mumbai police said, reported news agency PTI.

The accused contacted the victim several times between May 12 and 18, claiming offences had been registered against him on charges of involvement in anti-national activities, drug peddling and in the Pulwama attack, an official from Navi Mumbai's cyber police station said on Monday, reported PTI.

The accused told the victim that he would be arrested for these crimes. They sent fake documents claiming to be from the Narcotics Control Bureau and a confidentiality agreement to him on WhatsApp and forced him to deposit Rs 32,13,305 in different bank accounts, the Navi Mumbai police official said, reported PTI.

Based on complaint by the victim on Sunday, the police registered an FIR against the three persons under relevant Indian Penal Code sections for cheating, forgery, criminal conspiracy, personation and criminal intimidation as well as provisions of the Information Technology Act, the official said, reported PTI.

In another case, a 37-year-old housewife from Navi Mumbai lost over Rs 24 lakh in a "task fraud", an official said on Friday, reported PTI.

In her complaint, the woman, a resident of Kalamboli, said a person offered her a "job opportunity" in March, reported PTI.

The job involved "liking videos". After paying her some money for the "task", the person coaxed her into investing Rs 24.16 lakh saying she would get good returns, the official said citing the complaint.

After completing the tasks assigned to her, the woman sought payment from the person she was in touch with but he became unreachable, reported PTI.

Realising that she had been duped, the woman then approached the police.

A case was registered on Thursday for cheating under the Indian Penal Code (IPC), and the IT Act, said the station house officer at the Kalamboli police station, adding that the woman only had the number of the alleged scammer.

(With inputs from PTI)