’Car dealer’ conned 30 people this Diwali

By offering heavy discounts and promising delivery on the auspicious day, Mohan Rajurkar took money from the victims and absconded with his family before the festival

'Car dealer' conned 30 people this Diwali

A 42-year-old, Sameer Varma, wanted to surprise his family this Diwali by purchasing a new luxury car. However Varma received a rude shock when he went to take the delivery of the vehicle, as the dealer, along with his family members, absconded with the Rs 15 lakh that he had paid towards the car.

Car-naama: Mohan Rajurkar (inset), owner Car Care Zone, who duped several people to the tune of crores of rupees. Pics/Krunal Gosavi

It’s not just Varma, but about 30 people who have fallen prey to the conniving car dealer. Speaking to MiD DAY, Varma, who works as a chief engineer with a shipping company, said, “One of my acquaintance had told me that Car Care Zone offers hefty discounts as compared to other dealers in the market. Thus, I visited the firm and met its owner Mohan Rajurkar. I wanted to buy Hyundai Elantra and had paid the amount by cheque in the last week of September.”

Varma said Rajurkar had promised that the car would be delivered to him on Diwali. He added, “When I called him on the eve of Diwali to enquire about the car, Rajurkar told me that it will be delivered only on November 14, as the registration and RTO passing is yet to be done. Though I was upset, I didn’t have any option but to wait. I again called him on November 14, but this time his number was not reachable.”

Varma then called the automobile company, and was informed no car was booked under his name. He then went to Rajurkar and was aghast to know that he has been duped. “There were more 25 people who were looking for him. He had duped all of us,” he lamented. Without wasting anytime, Varma approached Swargate police station lodged a complaint against Rajurkar.

Likewise Rajesh Jain, who has tyre showroom next to Car Care Zone, too was duped. “I had paid him Rs 28 lakh in order to purchase two used high-end cars,” he said. While Rajan Goyal, manager with an insurance company, was cheated of Rs 2.5 lakh. “I paid him Rs 1 lakh in cash and the remaining amount by cheque for a second hand Honda City car,” he complained.

Rajurkar cheated another businessman, who had paid whopping Rs 97 lakh towards the purchase a Jaguar. However, as the entire amount was paid in cash, the victim preferred not to file complaint.u00a0The complainant alleges that Swargate police have registered only one FIR, which was filed by Varma, and asked other victims to become witness in the case.

“We have registered the case against Rajurkar under Section 420 (cheating) of IPC, and are on lookout for him. We have even detained his younger brother and have sent a team to his hometown in Solapur. However, we cannot trace his location, as he has switched off his mobile phone,” said Investigating Officer PM Kathane of Swargate police station.

To make sure prompt investigation is done in the case, the victims have decided to approach Commissioner of Police Gulabrao Pol and request him to handover the case to the Economic Offence Wing. “We will also request the commissioner to book Rajurkar under stringent sections, so that he doesn’t get a bail easily,” said Varma.u00a0