Thane: The Shil-Daighar police in Thane have arrested two people posing as employees of Torrent power firm cheated 26 consumers for Rs 19 lakh. The police said the arrested accused cheated many consumers by offering to help reduce or settled their bills and took cash from them.
Venkat Andhale, assistant commissioner of police, Kalwa division confirmed the arrest and said, "The two arrested accused were identified as Rafiq Ahmed Shaikh 39 and Abdulla Bilal Shaikh 25. Both residents of Mumbra are arrested and are in police custody," added Andhale.
Presently, the torrent power firm is supplying electricity to Kalwa, Mumbra, Shil-Daighar, and Diva. The power firm has its office based in Shil-Phata, Daawat Hall. The firm started receiving complaints about cheating. The firm has given a written complaint to the Shil-Daighar police station. "With the help of a written complaint we first approached Kailashchandra Kumavat 23, a dairy owner from Sabegaon. We contacted Kumavat and found that he was cheated for Rs 34,000. Kumavat had a bill of Rs 68,000 to pay for his dairy. The accused on the pretext of settling it to 50 percent took the half amount. Later, the accused showed Kumavat the bill of some other person and cheated him. They gave him fake bills and showed that the total amount is paid," said a police officer.
The Shil-Daighar police on the complaint of Kumavat have registered a case under sections 406, 419, 420, 465, 467, 468, 471, and 34 of the Indian penal code.
The police said that with the help of CCTV footage from the Torrent office and the consumer they were able to arrest the accused involved in the crime. "The two accused used to get the mobile number of the consumers who were about to pay the bill amount. After contacting the consumers they pretend to be employees of the power firm and assure them about settling the bills. They have overall cheated around 26 consumers to the tune of Rs 19.61 lakhs. We have seized an I-phone i.e high-end mobile purchase by the accused with the cash. A hard disk and printer were also seized from the accused," said a police officer.
