29-year-old farmer loses ₹1.44 crore in liquor licence fraud in Maharashtra's Nashik

The accused, hailing from Kalyan in Thane district, had convinced the victim that he could facilitate the transfer of licence of a liquor shop at Panvel.

A 29-year-old farmer from Nashik has allegedly been cheated of ₹1.44 crore by a man who promised to get him a liquor shop licence in Navi Mumbai, police said on Tuesday.

When the victim questioned the accused about status of the licence and the payments made, the latter issued some cheques as reimbursement. (Representative)

The accused, hailing from Kalyan in Maharashtra's Thane district, had convinced the victim that he could facilitate the transfer of licence of a liquor shop at Panvel in Navi Mumbai from the owner in his name.

Trusting him, the victim, belonging to Niphad in neighbouring Nashik district, along with his brother paid ₹1.44 crore to him in multiple instalments between July 2024 and January this year, an official from MFC police station said.

After collecting the amount, the accused allegedly paid ₹61 lakh to the liquor shop owner, misappropriated the remaining ₹83 lakh and failed to secure the licence for the victim, he said.

When the victim questioned the accused about status of the licence and the payments made, the latter issued some cheques as reimbursement.

"All the cheques bounced, further raising suspicion," the official stated.

The accused neither returned the amount nor ensured the transfer of the licence in the victim's name, he said.

Based on the victim's complaint, an FIR was registered against the accused on August 23 under section 318(4) (cheating) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the police said.

A detailed probe was underway into the case, they added.