The crime branch arrested two people from Mira Road on Thursday for allegedly duping a Mumbai Central businessman of ₹6 lakh by posing as telecom company representatives and promising to provide him with VIP phone numbers.
The accused have been identified as Paresh Modawala and Shahrukh Niyaz Ahmed.
According to the police, the 32-year-old businessman, Zuber Abdulhasib Ahmed, in his complaint said that the accused sent a promotional message on his mobile number in last year in September which stated that the duo can offer him VIP phone numbers.
“The complainant showed interest to get 9191919191 and 7777777777 as his mobile numbers and contacted on the mobile number mentioned in the promotional message. One of the accused identified himself as Jitendra Chotlani, who worked as the chief product and experience officer in a telcom firm at Navi Mumbai,” said police inspector Sanjay Nikumbhe of unit 2, crime branch.
The complainant made an online payment of Rs1.10 lakh in the accused’s account for the two numbers.
“Couple of days later, the accused contacted the complainant again and said that the company now was charging Rs3 lakh for both the numbers. The accused then transferred the money to accused’s account again. Two days later, the accused called the complainant again and said that he would reduce the amount for the VIP numbers, if he could tell his friends about the scheme,” said Nikumbhe.
{{/usCountry}}“Couple of days later, the accused contacted the complainant again and said that the company now was charging Rs3 lakh for both the numbers. The accused then transferred the money to accused’s account again. Two days later, the accused called the complainant again and said that he would reduce the amount for the VIP numbers, if he could tell his friends about the scheme,” said Nikumbhe.
{{/usCountry}}The accused continued to demand money from the complainant on different pretexts and the latter ended up paying Rs6 lakh in four to five instalments, After this, the accused stopped answering his calls. The complainant then realised that he had been cheated and approached the telecom provider and narrated the entire incident.
The company’s nodal officer Yogesh Rajapurkar, 42, then approached Bangur Nagar police station and a case was filed against the accused, following which unit 2 officers conducted an inquiry and arrested both the accused from their homes, said Nikumbhe.