E-Paper
Panchkula: 2 booked for ₹20-lakh gold investment scam
According to a complaint filed on August 16, victim Pawan Kumar, alleged that the incident began about four years ago when he met Mandeep Makkar in Zirakpur
Police have booked two men for allegedly defrauding a Sector-26 resident of ₹20 lakh on pretext of a gold investment scheme. The accused have been identified as Mandeep Makkar and Pankaj Rana.
According to a complaint filed on August 16, victim Pawan Kumar, alleged that the incident began about four years ago when he met Mandeep Makkar in Zirakpur. Makkar, who claimed to work part-time at some store, suggested Kumar to invest in gold, promising high returns. Makkar then introduced Kumar to his friend, Pankaj Rana, who he said held a senior position at the store and could provide high-quality gold at a cheap rate.
Trusting their claims, Kumar transferred ₹15 lakh to Makkar’s bank account in November 2024. A few days later, Makkar and Rana visited Kumar’s home and took an additional ₹5 lakh in cash, assuring him that they would soon provide him with gold worth ₹20 lakh.
However, the accused failed to deliver promised gold or return the money. Subsequently, Pankaj Rana switched off his mobile phone, and Mandeep Makkar stopped answering Kumar’s calls.
Kumar later received a call from an unknown number from a person claiming to be Pankaj’s father, who said that his son had not returned home for several days. Meanwhile, Makkar allegedly began threatening Kumar, stating that he would commit suicide if Kumar continued to ask for his money back.
Following the incident, the Chandimandir police station has registered a case under sections 316(2) and 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) against both individuals.
