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“Rice puller” metal fraud: Suspended Pune cop held for duping over 200 people
The Pimpri-Chinchwad police have arrested a suspended police sub inspector (PSI) for duping around 200 people from Pune, Belgaum, Dharwad, Bengaluru, Aurangabad and Nashik regions on pretext of selling a rare “rice puller” (RP) metal or “copper iridium”
The Pimpri-Chinchwad police have arrested a suspended police sub inspector (PSI) for duping around 200 people from Pune, Belgaum, Dharwad, Bengaluru, Aurangabad and Nashik regions on pretext of selling a rare “rice puller” (RP) metal or “copper iridium”.
The prime suspect, identified as Robert Ubaldo Rosario (55), along with others, made fake promises of ₹500 crore as investment returns for procuring the “RP” metal. They claimed that the rare metal is worth ₹5,000 crore and sought by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in the US. Rosario was arrested following a complaint from Subhash Gulab Sasar, a resident of Sus in Pune, who said he was duped of ₹49 lakh, officials said on Tuesday.
While experts and police officials have alerted residents to not fall into such trap, the crooks in the past have tried to sell the metal claiming that it is made of iridium and radium and has radioactive properties.
Rosario was arrested on August 12, and his accomplices Sonali Jadhav, Pooja Garud, Sangitta Nagarkar, Mehul Gandhi and Satish Mukerkar were nabbed earlier. According to officials, the complainant reported the case at Hinjewadi police station on June 2, 2022, stating that Rosario of Khadki promised him returns of ₹500 crore after sale of “RP” metal claiming it is worth ₹5,000 crore for space agency NASA. The accused approached the complainant saying he had found the source of “RP” material and allegedly took ₹49 lakh as investment for the procurement of the metal. He prepared fake documents of agreement with fake stamp and seal of various reputed government organisations. When the accused stopped responding to complainant’s calls for assured returns, the latter approached the police.
During investigation, police arrested his accomplices who confessed to their involvement in money transactions and Rosario being the mastermind.
Rosario was suspended from police department around 10 years ago as he was involved in a fake police job racket and duped many aspirants, police said.
“Being a former cop, he knew how the police would investigate the case and hence changed his mobile numbers on frequent basis,” said assistant inspector Ajitkumar Khatal, who is investigating the case.
According to officials, Rosario used to live a lavish life, stay in luxury hotels, play casino and loved horse riding. Police arrested him from his house on August 12. During interrogation police came to know that he has duped people of ₹6 crore.
Senior inspector Vivek Muglikar said, “He was assuring people returns more than share markets.”
Truth and appeal
While fraudsters claim “rice puller” metal or device is in high demand in United States’ space agency NASA, authorities said no such device or metal bar is sought by the space agency
Pimpri-Chinchwad police have asked residents to alert authorities or contact assistant inspector Ajitkumar Khatal on 9850231960 if they come across such cases
In the past
May 2018: Delhi police arrested father-son duo for allegedly cheating a man of ₹1.43 crore on the pretext of selling a “rice puller” device
March 2021: A 53-year-old Delhi-based businessman was duped by a gang of ₹11 lakh by “rice pulling” selling metal.
February 2022: Two persons arrested on charge of cheating a duo of ₹78.8 lakh after promising huge investment returns in “rice-pulling” business.
