The police have registered a criminal offence against three persons for allegedly duping several investors to the tune of Rs 55.98 lakh on the pretext of giving them good returns on investment.

According to the Palghar police, in August last year, the complainant, a resident of Murbe in Palghar, had learnt about a cooperative credit society that promised good returns on investment. Since the said credit society was being run by the childhood friend of the complainant, she agreed to invest money.

"From September last year onwards, the victim began investing in the credit-society that promised 15 percent returns. The victim informed her friends and relatives too about the said society after which several people known to the victim had totally invested Rs 55.98 lakh in the investment scheme," said a police officer.

He added, "In April this year, when the investors asked for their money and returns, the accused persons cited lockdown as the reason for not being able to pay the money. In June, when the victims visited the credit society office, they found it to be locked. The victims then visited the residence of the accused persons and learnt that they had gone into hiding. After repeated efforts, the victim failed to establish contact with the accused persons, they approached the police and got a complaint lodged on Tuesday."

A case has been registered under sections 34 (common intention), 406 (Punishment for criminal breach of trust), 420 (Cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property), 465 (punishment for forgery), 467 (forgery of valuable security, will, etc), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating) and 471 (using as genuine a forged document or electronic record) and 474 (Having possession of document knowing it to be forged and intending to use it as genuine) of the Indian Penal Code and sections 3 (fraudulent default by financial establishment) and 4 (Attachment of properties on default of return of deposits) of the Maharashtra Protection of Interest of Depositors (in Financial Establishments) Act.