Man held for robbing people on pretext of selling used cars
Gurugram The police on Friday arrested a 35-year-old man, who is allegedly the kingpin of a gang that has duped at least 25 people on the pretext of selling second-hand cars at throwaway prices in Nuh and Sohna. He was arrested from Mahenderwara crossing in Sohna, when he was on his way to Mohammadpur Gujar village, said police.
The police said the suspect was identified as Iqbal, alias Balla, and was wanted in more than 50 cases of snatching and carjacking. He is a resident of Mohammadpur Gujar village, located 28 kilometres from the city.
During questioning, it was also revealed that the suspect’s family had attacked police personnel on September 6, when they had arrested him at his residence and freed him. A nine-member police team, which had gone to arrest him from his house, was allegedly attacked by his family members with hockey sticks and bricks. Three policemen, including two head constables, were injured in the attack.
In an FIR lodged on May 21, Santosh Ghubarde (40), a farmer and a resident of Beed in Maharashtra, said he saw an advertisement on an online portal, posted by a person named ‘Iqbal Khan’ to sell a Maruti Swift Dzire.
“On dialling the number, the caller identified himself as Rahim, Iqbal’s son. He said he is serving in the Army and wanted to sell his car as he had been transferred. He even sent me a fake identity card and pictures of the car,” Ghubarde said.
“A deal was finalised for ₹4.51 lakh and the suspect called us to Subhash Chowk. Three men came to pick us up and we drove for around 25 kilometres. One of them was addressing Iqbal as his father and said he is unwell so has called us home. Suddenly, after 30 minutes, they stopped the car, started assaulting us and asked to handover the cash and our belongings,” Ghubarde said.
Three more men joined the suspects, he said. “It was around 8.30pm when the incident took place and they left us in the isolated fields. We walked up to the main road and took a lift to reach the Bhondsi police station. As we were in pain and had suffered multiple fractures, we were unable to even sit. We were taken to hospital and after first aid, sent home,” Ghubarde said.
Ghubarde filed a complaint against seven people at the Bhondsi police station, and a case, under sections 379B, 420, 506 of the IPC and sections of the Arms Act was subsequently registered.
Muhammad Akil, the commissioner of police, said that he was among the most-wanted members in Sohna. “He had made several fake accounts through which he used to upload pictures of second-hand cars and lured victims. We have been requesting people to be careful and have been spreading awareness on social media, but people don’t pay any heed and fall prey to such frauds,” he said.
He was taken on a three-day police remand on Saturday.
