Two held for cheating astrologer

An insurance agent and a businessman were arrested for allegedly cheating an astrologer on the pretext of procuring a prominent position in the ruling Congress party during the recent assembly elections held in Himachal Pradesh, the crime branch said on Tuesday.

An insurance agent and a businessman were arrested for allegedly cheating an astrologer on the pretext of procuring a prominent position in the ruling Congress party during the recent assembly elections held in Himachal Pradesh, the crime branch said on Tuesday.

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The duo have been identified as Vikrant Poddar, 29, an LIC agent and his associate Pramod Kumar Jain, 50. They had also promised one Hari Dev Dwivedi, a professional astrologer, a role in ticket distribution during the polls only to cheat him of Rs. 7 lakh, said Ravindra Yadav, additional commissioner of police (crime).

According to police, Poddar told Dwivedi that once appointed, he would be allowed to play a vital role in ticket distribution.