Maharashtra: Delhi-based doctor duped of over Rs 2 crore by man posing as woman on social media

Photo for representational purpose. Pic/ istock

A Delhi-based doctor was allegedly duped of over Rs 2 crore by a man from Maharashtra's Yavatmal district after the latter posed as a woman on social media, police said on Sunday.

The 44-year-old victim lodged a complaint with the Yavatmal police on Saturday, following which the accused, Sandesh Mankar, a college student, was arrested, they said.

The accused had made fake profiles on Facebook, Instagram and other social media platforms by posing as a woman, a senior police official said.

The doctor became friends with the accused after getting in touch with the impersonator on the social media, and the latter told the victim that "she" belonged to a rich family and had businesses in Dubai, he said.

Last month, the impersonator told the victim that "her" sister was kidnapped and the culprits had demanded a ransom of Rs 2 crore.

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The victim then came to Yavatmal and gave the sum to a person specified by the accused on August 12, the official said.

The accused later again called up the victim and and told him that "her" sister had been released. The accused then asked the victim to deposit Rs 7,20,000 into a bank account specified by him, the police said.

After the doctor transferred the amount into the bank account on August 27, the accused subsequently closed all his social media accounts and switched off his mobile phone, he said.

On realising that he had been cheated, the victim lodged a complaint on Saturday following which the Yavatmal police arrested the accused and seized Rs 1.97 crore from him, the official said.

The police were trying to find out if the accused was involved in more such offences, he added.

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