It's not always that a landlord is understanding enough to help when a tenant expresses his or her inability to pay rent. But a debt-ridden techie's landlord went to the extent of showing him how to make easy money
Vishal Vinodkumar Goswami (left); Abhishek Awadhkumar Upadhyaay
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It's not always that a landlord is understanding enough to help when a tenant expresses his or her inability to pay rent. But a debt-ridden techie's landlord went to the extent of showing him how to make easy money.
The techie and his associate were recently arrested for duping a businessman of Rs 4.37 lakh on the pretext of giving him a VVIP number. The landlord is absconding.
The techie has been identified as Vishal Goswami alias Sanjay Prajapati (24), and his associate is Abhishek Upadhyaay alias Narendra Kushwah (22). They have also allegedly duped a man in Navi Mumbai of Rs 2.5 lakh.
Santosh Doshi (54), a jewellery merchant who works in South Mumbai, received a message on his cell phone on January 30, offering a VVIP number, iPhone 7 and 256 GB data free. Doshi sent a WhatsApp message and immediately got a response with VVIP numbers. He selected one and Prajapati called him saying he will receive the VVIP number, iPhone and free data when he sends Rs 2 lakh through RTGS to a bank account.
Doshi sent the money. "He received a call from Narendra Kushwah, claiming that due to VAT, the VVIP number will now cost R2.37 lakh," said an officer from Azad Maidan police. He was also told they would return the Rs 2 lakh after he sent this sum. Doshi sent R2.37 lakh, and was assured that he would get everything that evening. When he didn't receive it, he called the service provider to find he was duped.
An FIR was lodged under IPC Sections 420 and 34. After checking technical data and bank details, police found Sanjay Prajapati is Goswami.
"He took up a job in an IT company in Malad as a server security personnel," the officer added.
Police said Vishal lost Rs 10 lakh in betting on cricket and punters were constantly chasing him. When they reached his office, the company asked him to leave.
Vishal told his landlord, who used to work for a mobile network service provider, that he couldn't pay the rent. Vishal befriended Abhishek. "They were trained by the landlord on how to lure people with the VVIP number. They have confessed to duping two persons. The landlord is absconding. He had assured them a handsome commission," said Vijay Kadam, senior inspector.
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