31 January,2024 03:51 PM IST | Palghar | mid-day online correspondent
Representational Pic/File
Palghar Police in Maharashtra have arrested the main accused in a case of cheating people by promising them flats at cheaper rates in Palghar district, an official said on Wednesday, reported the PTI.
According to the PTI, four of the other gang members were arrested earlier in connection with the case.
During the interrogation of the main accused, nabbed on January 27, it came to light and he and the other gang members allegedly duped several home of more than Rs 2 crore and offences had been registered against them at the Arnala Sagari, Tulinj and Nalla Sopara police stations, the official said, as per the PTI.
The gang, active in the Vasai-Virar area here, used to advertise flats at cheaper rates and dupe people from the region, senior police inspector Pramod Badakh said.
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In September 2022, the gang members promised a flat in Virar to a person and took Rs 7.83 lakh from him, he said.
However, they failed to give possession of the flat to the person following which he filed a complaint and the Arnala Sagri police then registered under Indian Penal Code sections 420 (cheating), 465, 471 (forgery) and 34 (common intention).
Four of the gang members were subsequently arrested while the main accused remained at large, the official said.
A police probe team worked on various leads and nabbed the main accused from Vasai area here on January 27, the official said.
Further probe was on into the case.
Meanwhile, in an another incident in Thane, a computer technician from Thane district in Maharashtra lost Rs 17.33 lakh in an online 'task' fraud, an officials said on Wednesday, reported the PTI.
The computer technician has become the latest victim of an online fraud wherein fraudsters lured him with the promise to earn quick money by rating some tasks and investing in bitcoins, a police official said, as per the PTI.
The victim, a resident of Dombivali township, lost Rs 17.33 lakh in the fraud from December 8, 2023, to January 9.
"The victim was approached with offers to earn big money through social media platforms. He was promised huge returns simply by rating certain online tasks and investing in bitcoins. The victim invested Rs 17.33 lakh over a month. He failed to receive any returns and his investment was also blocked," the official said, according to the PTI.
The "online task fraud" typically involves trapping victims by making them perform tasks like liking videos etc. and making small payments initially to win their trust.
The victims were later lured to invest money to earn big returns.
A case was registered under the Information Technology Act and further investigation is underway, the official added.
(with PTI inputs)
