Mumbai: Bargain-shopping for onions and potatoes online proved dear for members of a housing society from the Bhandup-Kanjur Marg area, leaving them poorer by Rs 38,000.
According to the residents of Hanuman Galli in Kanjurgaon, since the prices of onion and potatoes and other vegetables have skyrocketed during the lockdown, they decided to arrange for a truckload of onions and potatoes, thinking buying in bulk would net them a bargain. So, one of the residents googled the contact numbers of traders.
"As soon as I registered my number on the local search engine and put up my request, traders started to contact me. Kapil Sharma was one such trader. He introduced himself as being from Nashik and was ready to give onions and potatoes for Rs 15 per kilo and garlic for Rs 70 a kilo, inclusive of transportation costs.
"Since his rates were affordable, we ordered three tonnes of onions and potatoes and a quintal of garlic, worth Rs 49,000 in all. Sharma demanded half the amount as an advance but settled for Rs 20,000 and assured us he would deliver the goods by 4am on Sunday (April 12).
"On Sunday, we all assembled at the appointed time and waited for the truck, but it never did arrive. Hours after this, Sharma called us and said his truck had been seized by police and wanted us to pay another Rs 18,000," narrated the resident. "We paid him the amount, believing him. However, once he received the money, Rs 38,000 so far, he stopped answering our calls.
"After waiting for his call all of Monday, we realised we had been cheated and approached Kanjurmarg police station," said the resident. "We have registered an offence of cheating and under the Information Technology Act and our investigation is underway," said an officer from the Kanjurmarg police station.
