Mumbai Crime: 4 from gang arrested for duping cloth merchants of crores

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The LT Marg police have arrested four members of a gang for allegedly duping several cloth manufacturers and merchants by buying cloth on credit and then refusing to pay the remaining amount after the promised date. Police are now looking out for their accomplices.

According to the police sources, the gang bought cloth on the credit of one month from the manufacturers and merchants and gave a small amount as an advance. After a month, the gang members refused to pay the rest of the amount.

LT Marg police have arrested Dilshad Shaikh, Ujwal Day, Tarun Bos, Mansingh Kumar and Minal Dheeraj Kadam under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code.

Complaints filed

The Mumbai police had received four such complaints at various police stations across the city and in other states where they have duped manufacturers and merchants of crores of rupees.

Recently two cases were registered against the accused Day and his associate at LT Marg police station where the gang member has duped two merchants of over R2.5 crore, while the same accused had duped Damodar Ramprasad Samudrajoshi, manager of Kolhapur-based firm of R22 lakh last year.

Speaking with mid-day, complainant Samudrajoshi, the manager of the Hari Vevtech LLP said the accused approached and purchased the material worth R53.47 lakh. When he asked for the payment, Day and his associate threatened him.

"We filed the case at Shivajinagar police station, Ichalkaranji Kolhapur district in September 2021, but the accused managed to secure an anticipatory bail," he said.

"As per our information, the gang has cheated over 20 people in Mumbai. My client Pramod Raithatha from Kishor Textiles was duped of R51 lakh. There are already three FIRs registered against the accused. We have also lodged a complaint against them," said Advocate Mahesh Rajpopat.

The fraud

According to the police sources, the mastermind of the gang is Ujwal Day runs a firm 'Max Global Impex' and has offices at Kamla Mills compound and at APMC market in Navi Mumbai.

The accused would pose as a customer and give the manufacturers and merchants 20 to 25 per cent advance of the cost of the purchased cloth and a one-month post dated cheque of the remaining amount. They would never return the remaining amount after the purchase.

"We have arrested four accused and are looking out for others in two cases registered in our police station," said senior inspector Jyoti Desai from LT Marg police station.