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Ludhiana dairy owner duped of ₹22 lakh
The Ludhiana-based dairy owner was duped of ₹22 lakh, on the pretext of a lucrative deal on purchase and sale of a horse
A dairy owner was duped of ₹22 lakh, on the pretext of a lucrative deal on purchase and sale of a horse.
Complainant Manish Malhotra of Eldeco estate told the police that one, Sonu, had got in touch with him, stating that an NRI was interested in investing in real estate and dairy farms.
Sonu then took him to a farmhouse, claiming that the NRI was staying there. The next day, a man, posing as an NRI, visited his office and showed interest in buying a buffalo.
He even gave him ₹10,000 cash in advance to gain his trust.
The day after that Sonu contacted him again, stating that the NRI was looking to buy a horse and that he could help the complainant strike a lucrative deal.
“Sonu told me he knew a man who owned a stud farm, and that we could buy a horse from him and sell it to the NRI for over ₹1 crore. He then took me to Talwandi Sabo in Bathinda, where a man posing as a stud farm owner showed us a horse,” said Malhotra.
“The deal with the stud farm owner was struck at ₹91 lakh. The stud farm owner sought an advance and as I was not carrying any cash, Sonu gave him ₹8 lakh cash from his pocket. Later, I returned ₹8 lakh to Sonu and gave the stud farm owner ₹13 lakh,” the complainant further said. After this, all the accused went incommunicado.
When Malhotra went to the farmhouse, he found out that it did not belong to any NRI but to a local. “It was then that I realised that I have been duped,” he added.
The incident took place in August 2022. PAU police lodged an FIR after five months of investigation. The FIR has been lodged against Sonu under Section 406 (criminal breach of trust) and 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code.
Assistant sub-inspector Mahinder Kumar, who is investigating the case, said a hunt is on for his arrest.
