One of the accused met the victim, resident of Rajnoli in Bhiwandi, some days back at a shop in the area and asked him if he was in trouble
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The police on Wednesday said that a 37-year-old Thane man has allegedly been cheated by five persons who posed as "sadhus" and offered to help him get rid of his problems, reported news agency PTI.
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One of the accused met the victim, resident of Rajnoli in Bhiwandi, some days back at a shop in the area and asked him if he was in trouble, reported PTI.
The accused offered to help the victim and asked him to come on August 2 to a temple in Temghar where some other persons, all posing as seers, were waiting, an official from Shanti Nagar police station said, reported PTI.
The accused asked the Thane man to perform a puja. While keeping him busy with the rituals, they allegedly stole his gold ring valued at Rs 50,000 and also took another Rs 20,000 from him for the rituals, he said, reported PTI.
The next day, the accused called up the victim again and asked him to pay Rs 75,000 for additional rituals and assured him of well-being, reported PTI.
The victim then realised he was cheated and approached the police.
Based on his complaint, the police on Monday registered an FIR against a 25-year-old man hailing from Gujarat and four unidentified persons under relevant provisions, the official said.
In another case, police have arrested three persons in connection with the theft of valuables of Rs 15.5 lakh from a house in Dombivli area of Maharashtra's Thane district, an official said on Tuesday, reported PTI.
The incident took place on July 27 when a domestic help allegedly broke into a bedroom of the house along with his associates.
They stole various items, including watches and Indian and foreign currency, valued at Rs 15.52 lakh, Vishnu Nagar police station's senior inspector Sanjay Pawar said, reported PTI.
The police took the help of CCTV footage and technical and intelligence inputs to crack the case. On August 3, the police arrested three persons, one 27 years old and two others aged 45, from Navi Mumbai and Bengaluru, he said.
Stolen goods of Rs 6.96 lakh were recovered from them, he said, adding the accused hail from Nepal, reported PTI.
Search was underway for the house help, who is the main accused in the case, the police added.
(With inputs from PTI)