ASI duped of ₹3.90L by social media influencer

The Bhoiwada police said that on the basis of a complaint filed by ASI Shankar Sawant, presently posted with the local arms department, Mumbai, a case has been registered for cheating against social media influencer Ankur Chakraborty

MUMBAI: A 56-year-old assistant sub-inspector (ASI) was cheated of ₹3.90 lakh by a social media influencer from Alibag in Raigad district.

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The Bhoiwada police said that on the basis of a complaint filed by ASI Shankar Sawant, presently posted with the local arms department, Mumbai, a case has been registered for cheating against social media influencer Ankur Chakraborty.

According to the police, Chakraborty had put out advertisements on YouTube about plots in Raigad district for sale. Sawant, who was approaching retirement, saw these advertisements and was interested, as he was looking for a plot in Alibag. He contacted Chakraborty who showed him a 3-acre plot and the price negotiated was ₹5 lakh.

Sawant paid Chakraborty ₹4 lakh, promising to pay the balance amount of ₹1 lakh after registration of the sale deed. But then, the pandemic broke out, and the process was delayed.

Chakraborty, later, told him that he had sold the plot to someone else, as Sawant had failed to pay him the remaining amount. He showed Sawant some other plots, which the latter did not like. Hence, Sawant asked Chakraborty to return the ₹5 lakh amount he had paid to him. However, Chakraborty only returned ₹10,000.

“Due to this, Sawant approached us, and we have registered a cheating case under section 420 of the Indian Penal Code against Chakraborty,” said a police officer from Bhoiwada police station.