Ex-employee of Eureka Forbes booked for cheating clients

Mumbai: Eureka Forbes has lodged a complaint against its ex-employee for allegedly posing as their executive and offering clients replacements for old water purifiers at cheap prices

Mumbai: Eureka Forbes has lodged a complaint against its ex-employee for allegedly posing as their executive and offering clients replacements for old water purifiers at cheap prices. The company, an established brand in the vacuum cleaner and water purifier space, has said that the accused has cheated 24 people so far.

Eureka Forbes lodged a complaint with the police.

Executive Mayur Kadu (33), who works at the head office in Marathon Innova at Lower Parel, lodged the complaint after one Venkatesh Annumandala approached the company saying that one Manish Tiwari had cheated him. “Annumandala had got a message saying the company was “offering 30% exchange discount on old Aquaguard Water purifiers for purchase of new one and also providing lifetime service warranty and free filter. The offer is valid only for a limited period and you are one of the selected customers”,” said a police officer from N M Joshi Marg police station.

Annumandala contacted Tiwari, whose mobile number was mentioned in the message, and as per his instructions paid ₹10,120. “Annumandala did not get the machine as promised. After getting vague responses from Tiwari, he contacted Eureka Forbes customer care and narrated the incident. The executive told him that he was cheated as the bank account did not belong to the company,” said a police officer.

Similar complaints were lodged by several of its customers. Subsequently, Eureka Forbes lodged a complaint with the police. The company’s internal investigation also brought to its notice that Tiwari, a former employee, was sacked on August 21 for misbehaviour.

“Tiwari has cheated clients to the tune of ₹2.41 lakh and around 24 of them and we have registered a case against him under section 419 (cheating by personation), Section 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), along with section 66C (identity theft) and 66D (cheating by personation using computer resources) of the Information Technology Act,” said a police officer.

“We are searching for the accused,” said Sunil Chandramore, senior police inspector of N M Joshi Marg police station.