24-year-old flamboyant man held for 'duping' woman of Rs 8.5 lakhs

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A 24-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly duping a woman of Rs 8.5 lakh on the pretext of getting one of her relatives' child admitted to a prestigious school here, the police said today. Accused Tarun Poddar, who duped the women posing as a senior MNC officials has been found having a history of cheating other women too on the pretext of marriage, while impersonating as an author on the basis of a forged book cover.

Poddar was arrested on a complaint by the woman that during a pool ride with her in a cab, he introduced himself as an 'operation head' of a multinational firm and tricked her into believing that he had very good rapport with many senior MNC officials, said Deputy Commissioner of Police (West) Vijay Kumar. In her complaint lodged on May 29, the woman said Poddar also told her that he had good contacts with several reputed schools in Delhi and can help the needy ones get their children admitted there, the DCP added.

After the cab ride, he kept in touch with the woman, often making friendly calls to her and sending SMSes, the DCP said. Impressed by his claims of having links with reputed schools, the woman, some time later, sought his help for admission of one of her relatives' child, for which Poddar demanded Rs 12 lakh, the DCP said, adding that the woman managed to arrange Rs 8.5 lakh and give it to him. After getting the money, Poddar sent her forged e-mails, confirming the child's admission to a prestigious school, the officer said, adding that on approaching the school, the woman, however, realised that she had been duped by him, following which she lodged the complaint with the police.

Acting on her complaint, the police put Poddar's mobile number on surveillance and managed to nab him on August 7, the officer said. The police also recovered two laptops, a cell phone, eight SIMs and one book with forged cover from Poddar, said the DCP, adding that during interrogation, he revealed that he used to pretend as senior official of various private companies to target women and flaunt his forged I-cards to impress them.

The man somehow or other used to secure women's phone number and build up a rapport with them before targeting them, the officer said. The man used to travel in a hired luxury car with two hired bodyguards on occasions of meeting his targeted victims or their family members, to lure them into marital ties with him, the officer said, adding that once the family members get impressed with his credentials, he would often make them part with some huge amount on one pretext or the other.

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