Mumbai: Cops hunt for culprits behind ‘Get-Instant-Loan’ posters plastered in Metro

Metro officials crack down on prohibited advertisements, investigation into the matter underway

The Andheri police are currently searching for the individuals responsible for pasting posters advertising “Get-Instant-Loan” inside Metro-1 coaches and attempting to deface the train. Metro officials discovered these posters in three different trains, all promoting loan offers. They informed the police that these posters were prohibited in Metro trains and on their premises, as they were affixed to the safety advisory board intended for passenger safety inside the trains.

The complainant in this case, Vivek Koli, 43, a security guard on the Metro-1 line, found these posters on December 17 in train no. 1002, 1005 and 1012. Koli conducts a thorough check of the entire Metro train after all passengers disembark, as part of a routine procedure that is conducted in three different shifts.

According to police officials, around 3 pm on December 17, a Metro train arrived at Versova station, and Koli was tasked with checking the entire train after all passengers had disembarked. He discovered the posters. Later, similar posters were found in two more Metro trains by other security guards.

A police officer stated, “We have registered an FIR against the unknown person who affixed the 'Get-Instant-Loan' poster with a mobile number inside the Metro train. We are currently searching for the accused."

mid-day also contacted the mobile number mentioned on the poster, and the alleged accused claimed to offer personal loans ranging from Rs 7-9 lakh based on an annual salary of Rs 4 lakh. The accused also mentioned that if the mid-day reporter shared their salary slips for the past three months, bank account details, Aadhar card, and PAN card photos, the loan process would be initiated instantly.

Scammers nowadays exploit mobile loan applications and instant loans as a modus operandi to transfer money to unsuspecting individuals' accounts. These scammers later resort to threats to recover the money. mid-day has published a series of stories about these fraudulent practices. Recently, the Mumbai Police removed several fake loan applications from the Google Play Store, which were identified as fraudulent. The Andheri police are reviewing the Metro's CCTV footage to identify the culprit(s).

Dec 17
Day the posters were discovered

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