Mumbai: The Bandra metropolitan magistrate court has sentenced a 54-year-old woman from Bandra to three years in jail for cheating 10 persons to the tune of Rs 6.48 lakh by promising them jobs abroad 15 years ago. The court also asked the woman, Neeta Chhabriya, to return the money to the victims.
While sentencing Chhabriya, the court observed, “Several persons were defrauded by the accused. It is on record that these persons were very poor and paid the accused by sometimes selling their ornaments. No sympathy was shown by the accused to them. Rather, false defence was taken and no payment was made during this long span.” The court said Chhabriya has a sound background and is well-educated, so her conduct cannot be pardoned.
As per the case registered with the Bandra police, complainant Anita Salian worked as domestic help at building Golden Palace where Chhabriya resided. She was introduced to her through another domestic help.
Chhabriya told Salian she could offer jobs to young men and women with “good personalities” and sometimes “fluency in English” in London as drivers, caretakers, waiters and air hostesses. She asked to introduce her to 25 persons with ready passports and Rs2 lakh each.
Chhabriya said she would charge Rs35,000 per person upfront with a minimum of Rs1 lakh, with the rest being deducted from the salaries when they get jobs. Salian arranged 25 such job seekers and Chhabriya acknowledged the receipt of money on stamp papers.
Salian claimed that some of them paid by mortgaging or selling their gold articles, but Chhabriya reneged on her promise. When these people demanded their money back, she called the police and threatened them. Later, Salian and the victims approached the police with their complaints.
