Mumbai Crime: Conmen dupe city doctor of lakhs promising him membership at NCST

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Two men have been arrested for allegedly cheating a 62-year-old doctor of Rs 13.9 lakhs. The duo promised the doctor that they'd make him a member of the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST).

The police found that both the accused had been running the con for five to six years and added that they suspect that many more people might have also been conned by the duo as reported by Hindustan Times.

As per the police one of the conmen in March 2016. Balasaheb Kadam, senior police inspector from Khadakpada police station said, " The doctor was told by the con man that he was doing a good job and also helping many local residents by giving them good treatment at minimum charges. The accused said he knew a senior officer in Delhi who is in charge of the NSCT department and could help the doctor become a member of NCST but that the doctor needed to pay commission for the same."

The accused then contacted his accomplice who posed as an officer from the NCST and assured the doctor that he would get him a membership if he was willing to pay the amount.

Between the period of April to May 2016 the duo allegedly took Rs 13.9 lakhs from the doctor. They also gave the doctor a fake NCST letterhead bearing his name and a visiting card with the national emblem on it. The doctor was told that once he was a member of the NCST he could use government funds and be eligible to get benefits.

The inspector said, "After giving the fake documents (letterheads and visiting cards) the accused after two weeks Pawar him that his membership has been cancelled as per court orders from Delhi. When Pawar asked the reason and also for the amount he had paid, the accused said that the money could not be returned to him. Pawar was given fake assurances that they might return his money. It was in March when a complaint was registered and during investigation we got to know about the accused, who were arrested in this racket. We suspect there will be many such people who were cheated by these accused."

When the police visited the houses of the accused, they found copies of the national emblem , letterheads with the name of the accused and a fake IDs of central government agencies. They also found four-wheeler number plates, letterheads of the ministry of micro, small and medium enterprises and a bank passbook - all of which have been sized.

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