Airport police arrest shop manager for ₹28 lakh fraud

The airport police have lodged a cheating case against a store manager for siphoning off cash and goods worth ₹28,14,460 from the showroom of Fossil India Pvt Ltd

Pune: The airport police have lodged a cheating case against a store manager for siphoning off cash and goods worth ₹28,14,460 from the showroom of Fossil India Pvt Ltd that deals with top-end items. The crime took place between October 2022 and December 15, 2022, at Phoenix Mall in Vimannagar.

The airport police have lodged a cheating case against a store manager for siphoning off cash and goods worth ₹28,14,460 from the showroom of Fossil India Pvt Ltd. ((PIC FOR REPRESENTATION))

The accused has been identified as Francis Joseph David (35) of Dapodi. The firm’s area manager Prathamesh Achyut Paithankar (33) of Navi Mumbai filed the police complaint.

According to the police, the accused furnished false information to the store staff and the company higherups regarding goods and account books. He gained their trust and stole 147 expensive items like wristwatches, jewellery, belts, pouches, estimated to be worth ₹8,73,049, and siphoned off ₹19,41,411 from the cash counter.

Vilas Sonde, Vimannagar police station incharge, said, “The accused has been arrested. He stole expensive watches and did not deposit the collected cash in the company’s bank account.”

Investigation officer sub-inspector Kollure Shanta said, “The FIR was lodged on January 19 and David was arrested the same day and remanded to police custody till January 22. IPC sections related to cheating and fraud have been invoked against him.”