The police investigations have revealed that after allegedly conning their targets, the group would flee to Jharkhand
Representational Pic/File
The Kherwadi Police in suburban Mumbai arrested four suspects allegedly involved in a scam where they promised women they would exchange their old gold for new gold, the police said.
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The suspects were identified as Manoj Pahari, Rajkumar Malhar, Anita Devi, and Kiran Malhar.
The police investigations have revealed that after allegedly conning their targets, the group would flee to Jharkhand.
According to the police, the complainants, residing in the Kherwadi area, told the police that in January, a woman approached them while they were talking and she claimed that she exchanges old utensils for new ones. Trusting her, two women handed over their old pots in exchange for new ones.
"The woman then told them that gold ornaments were old and convinced them to hand over their gold, promising to return with brand new gold ornaments after consulting with her employer. She never returned back after taking their gold ornaments. The victim informed their family about the incident, and subsequently, one of the woman filed a complaint at the Kherwadi police station. The police registered a case based on her complaint and began to investigate the matter," an official said.
Under the guidance of Deputy Commissioner of Police Dixit Gedam of Zone 8 of Mumbai Police, a team led by Senior Inspector Rajendra Mulik, including Sub-Inspectors Pavshe, Shinde, Kambli, and Pardeshi, launched the investigation. The police examined CCTV footage and used technical information to trace the woman and other suspects to Bhiwandi, the police said.
The police learnt that the two suspects-- Anita and Kiran were responsible for approaching homes under the pretext of selling utensils, while Manoj and Rajkumar assisted in the crime. Upon their arrest and subsequent court appearance, all four were remanded in police custody, the official said.
The Kherwadi police are now investigating to determine if this gang has been involved in similar crimes elsewhere in Mumbai and to trace the recipients of the stolen gold, the official added.