3 held for impersonating BSES officials, cheating people in Delhi
During the interrogation, police found that the accused usually targeted houses under construction and duped the owners by saying they had been “fined” for violating BSES norms or using domestic electricity for a commercial establishment
The Delhi Police has arrested three men for allegedly impersonating BSES officials and duping homeowners in south and southeast Delhi areas of lakhs of rupees, senior police officers said.
Police identified the arrested accused as Shammi Chaddha, 62, a resident of BK Dutt colony and his associates Dilesh Paras, 59, a resident of Mehrauli and Shakil Ahmed, 46, a resident of Sangam Vihar. Police said the three worked as BSES recovery agents through a private company but their tenure ended a year ago. Since then, they have allegedly been cheating people.
The matter came to light after a businessman from the Maharani Bagh area made a PCR call on July 10 alleging that three BSES officials took ₹12 lakh from him. “We found the accused were fake BSES officials and lodged a case for extortion, criminal intimidation, cheating by personation, criminal trespassing, etc., They knew about the municipal by-laws and the area. They targeted houses in New Friends Colony and East of Kailash. We are looking for the complainants,” said an officer.
Deputy commissioner of police (DCP) (southeast) Rajesh Deo said a team checked CCTVs near the house and call detail records of the numbers the accused used to call the victim. “We saw a bike which near the house and identified its owner. The phone number of the owner was tracked. He and his two accomplices were nabbed after multiple raids on Saturday,” said Deo.
During the interrogation, police found that the accused usually targeted houses under construction and duped the owners by saying they had been “fined” for violating BSES norms or using domestic electricity for a commercial establishment.
“They cheated many more people in the area but those incidents were not reported earlier as the victims believed the accused,” added Deo.
Police said Chadha works as a property dealer and has been involved in a cheating case lodged in 2003. Paras is a momo vendor with two criminal cases against him and their associate Ahmed is an electrician with no criminal records.
Meanwhile, a BSES official said the accused were imposters and never worked for BSES. “We urge customers to guard against unscrupulous elements, posing as BSES officials, and trying to mislead them. Customers are advised to ascertain and verify the identity of persons claiming to be from BSES and not to get intimidated by their threats and false assurances,” said a BSES spokesperson.