A 26-year-old banker from Manipur was allegedly abducted, assaulted and robbed of cash and gold jewellery worth nearly ₹2 lakh after he was lured to a meeting through a dating application in Pimple Gurav, police said on Saturday.
The incident took place near the parking area of Ramkrishna Mangal Karyalaya in Pimple Gurav between 4 pm and 6 pm on July 30.
The accused have been identified as Saurabh Maruti Kulkutaki and Pavan Suresh Patil of Kolhapur. The Pimpri-Chinchwad police arrested them on Friday.
According to the police, the complainant, a resident of Sahyadri Colony in Pimple Gurav and originally from Imphal East district of Manipur, came in contact with Kulkutaki through the app on July 30. The victim, who works as an analyst with a private bank, has been residing in Pune for the past eight years.
Police said Kulkutaki allegedly invited the victim for a social meeting near Ramkrishna Mangal Karyalaya. When the victim reached the spot, Kulkutaki and Patil allegedly forced him into their vehicle and took him to different locations.
Senior inspector Jitendra Koli of Sangvi Police Station said, “The accused allegedly threatened and assaulted the victim before forcing him to open his UPI and mobile banking applications. They made him transfer ₹50,000 to another bank account and allegedly robbed him of an 18-gramme gold chain worth around ₹1.5 lakh before fleeing.”
{{/usCountry}}Senior inspector Jitendra Koli of Sangvi Police Station said, “The accused allegedly threatened and assaulted the victim before forcing him to open his UPI and mobile banking applications. They made him transfer ₹50,000 to another bank account and allegedly robbed him of an 18-gramme gold chain worth around ₹1.5 lakh before fleeing.”
{{/usCountry}}The total value of the stolen cash and jewellery is estimated at nearly ₹2 lakh.
Police said the victim was initially hesitant to approach the police. However, after sharing details of the incident with a friend, he lodged a complaint at Sangvi Police Station on July 31.
Also Read | Dating app fraud: Intimate chats, money trail support honey-trap theory, says Delhi court
Sub-inspector Mahadev Bhalerao, the investigating officer, said, “After the FIR was registered, we launched an investigation. CCTV footage from the crime scene and nearby areas was examined, while call detail records (CDRs), subscriber detail records (SDRs) and other technical evidence were analysed. Information gathered through confidential sources also helped us trace the suspects.”
Police said neither accused has any previous criminal record.
Sangvi police filed an FIR under Sections 309(6) (robbery), 351(3) (criminal intimidation), 140(2) (abduction) and 3(5) (common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.