The New Panvel police have registered a cheating case against two persons for allegedly duping a 41-year-old businessman to the tune of Rs 7.85 lakh on the pretext of providing him LPG gas agency.
Those booked have been identified as Upendra Singh and Rakesh Singh.
According to the police, the complainant in the case is a resident of Panvel. The victim was into the building materials supply business and had faced financial troubles during the lockdown.
"As per the victim, in September last year, while surfing on the internet, he came across a web portal that was claiming to be providing LPG gas agency. The victim then applied for the agency on the said portal after which two persons who identified themselves as Upendra Singh and Rakesh Singh induced the victim to deposit Rs 7.85 lakh in different bank accounts over the period of time," said a police officer.
"The accused persons had also got few toll free numbers made available on the portal so that unsuspecting victims could contact on those numbers for any enquiry. However, since January, the accused persons switched off their numbers and disconnected the toll free numbers after which the victim realised that he has been duped. He then lodged a complaint with the police on Thursday," he added,
A case under sections 34 (Acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) and 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code and section 66D (punishment for cheating by personation by using computer resource) of the Information Technology Act has been registered.
