Delhi man duped of ₹35 lakh in fake robbery plot in Gurugram

The victim was going to Gurugram with the cash to purchase ornaments from a man claiming to be a jeweller

A Delhi-based man, who had come to Gurugram to purchase ornaments from a man claiming to be a jeweller, was duped of ₹35 lakh in a fake robbery plot, police said on Monday, adding that seven suspects have been booked.

Police said seven suspects have been booked. (Representational image)

Police said the incident took place on MG Road in Sector 28 in the evening of August 31. The victim Manmohan Chauhan, 25, a share investor who lives in Jafrabad in Delhi, said that he was going to a mall on MG Road with ₹35 lakh to purchase gold and diamond ornaments from a jeweller at a discounted rate.

Police said that a suspect, who claimed to be an acquaintance of the jeweller and had befriended Chauhan two months back, had arranged a meeting with the said jeweller and a “business partner” in Gurugram on August 31.

They said that Chauhan was then taken to a restaurant in the mall on MG Road where the exchange of cash and ornaments took place. Later, when the trio and Chauhan were headed to the jeweller’s showroom on MG Road, four armed suspects intercepted them and threatened Chauhan to flee.

“Before Chauhan fled, the suspects took away the ornaments and cash bag from the jeweller to make it look like robbery. Chauhan later learnt that there was no such jewellery showroom on MG Road. It became clear to him that the entire incident was a ploy,” said a senior police officer aware of the investigation.

On the victim’s complaint, an FIR was registered against the suspects under sections 34 (common intention), 120B (criminal conspiracy), 379 (theft) and 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code at DLF police station in Sector 29 on Sunday, said police.

Subhash Boken, public relations officer of Gurugram police, said that they were scanning the CCTV camera footage of the restaurant to ascertain the identity of the suspects and arrest them.