The Sakinaka police dismantled a gang engaged in defrauding individuals under the prete of facilitating jobs and settlements abroad. Eight individuals, including two travel agents associated with the accused group, have been apprehended, and they have been remanded to police custody until December 14 by the court.
According to the police, the gang lured individuals by promising assistance in securing jobs and settling in countries such as America, the United Kingdom and various European nations. Victims, primarily from Delhi, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh, were informed that the gang had connections with immigration officers.
The accused instructed victims to carry money, claiming that 5 to 10 US dollars would be required for immigration officers. The victims were advised to stay at a hotel near Mumbai Airport, as the accused misled them about flights departing at night.
Operating along the Mumbai-Pune expressway, the accused halted near Panvel at MeCdoland, where they demanded US dollars for the supposed payment to immigration officers. After collecting the money, the victims were abandoned, and the accused fled.
The deceptive modus operandi extended to individuals from Kurla and Andheri as well. On December 6, Abhishek Kumar (24), a student from Punjab, and his brother Himanshu fell trap of the accused. Assured of assistance in settling in Italy, the accused called them to Mumbai, and both came and stayed in a Next N Rest Hotel Sakinaka.
The brothers travelled with the accused towards Navi Mumbai at night, the accused threatened them with an Iron rod after covering a distance of 30 to 40 km and brutally assaulted them. The victims were robbed of their gold chain (2 tola), mobile phones, 11,600 US dollars, 100 euros, and two bags of clothes, amounting to a total of Rs. 11.29 lakhs.
The accused hit on a head-on Himanshu with an iron rod, causing he is serious injuries and throwing them out of their vehicle. The Sakinaka police traced the accused with the help of technical assistant and subsequently arrested them.
The accused were identified as Himanshu Gupta (23) a travel agent from Delhi, Rajiv alia Karan Varma (24) a travel agent from Haryana, Saurav Kharat (25) a travel agent from Pune, Pratik Shinde (20) a driver from Pune, Dinesh Satpute (30) from Pune, Vishal Thorat (31) from Pune, Anil Shete (31) from Pune, and Mahesh Garud (21) from Pune. Gabaji Climate, Senior Police Inspector, Sakinaka Polie Station and his team executed the operation under the guidance of Deputy Commissioner of Police-Zone 10, Datta Nalawad.
