Mumbai: Saki Naka police have booked two persons for cheating a city-based distributor of Rs 26 lakh under the pretext of delivering 50 high-end electric motorcycles.
The accused had lured the complainant by claiming that the market response for the said electric motorcycles is huge and he would make a huge profit by distributing these two-wheeler vehicles.
The complainant realised he was duped when the accused duo, Hashim Ibrahim and Zeenat Munshi, fled the city after closing the rented office space.
One of the accused, Hashim Ibrahim, who owned a production unit of electrical bikes, had visited the complainant’s office at Saki Naka in December last year.
During the visit, Ibrahim saw that the complainant, who wished not to be named, was a distributor and discussed the electrical motorcycles that he was producing. Ibrahim suggested to the complainant to get into the distribution of vehicles, as it will fetch him good business in the future.
After considering the business deal, the complainant visited Ibrahim’s offices in JB Nagar and Saki Naka, which seemed legitimate to him. Moreover, the complainant also had six electric motorcycles of Hashiko brand, which were put on display.
During the visit, the complainant also met two of the employees — Parshuram and Rajesh Dave. To discuss the deal further, Ibrahim also sent him an e-mail mentioning the price list of the company, price list of dealers and the statements of the bank.
After considering that the electric motorcycles, which are run on batteries that can be charged at home, petrol pumps or garages, is the future for motor vehicles, the complainant decided to venture into a business deal with Ibrahim.
He was asked to give a deposit of Rs 5 lakh as assurance money in February, after which he ordered 50 electric motorcycles. Gradually, when Ibrahim asked for a 50 per cent payment, he paid another Rs 21 lakh in the next few days.
Police said that Ibrahim had promised to give delivery of the electric motorcycles in a couple of months, which was delayed citing various reasons.
However, when the complainant enquired about the delivery date, Ibrahim ignored the phone calls, which compelled him to visit Ibrahim’s Saki Naka office. “The complainant met Zeenat Munshi, an employee of Ibrahim’s, in May, who said that her boss had gone to Bengaluru for work and the delivery of the motorcycles will be made in a fortnight.
After this assurance the complainant went home, but when the motorcycles were still not delivered, he revisited the office, only to find them locked,” said an official.
When the complainant enquired with Parshuram and Dave, they said that Ibrahim and Munshi had fled the city and were nowhere to be found. The duo did not even clear the pending dues of their employees and disappeared in thin air.
Despite writing various e-mails, when Ibrahim did not respond, the complainant approached Saki Naka Police and registered a complaint against the duo.
Police said, they are on the search for the accused duo and have formed teams to trace them. Ibrahim and Munshi have been booked under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code for cheating, criminal breach of trust and common intention. No arrests have been made yet.
