Man promises US dollars, cheats woman of ₹10,000

Navi Mumbai The Navi Mumbai crime branch on Wednesday arrested a 23-year-old man, who promised a woman 1000 US dollars, around ₹70,000 in Indian currency, for half the price and cheated her by giving paper cutouts. According to the crime branch, at least 10 such cases of similar con was registered in Thane and Navi Mumbai areas in the past few months.

Four of these cases are registered in Ghansoli, two in Kopri village and two in Kharghar, said police.

On Tuesday, Mohammed Iqbal Sikandar asked the woman to meet him at Kopar Khairane to her the US dollars. Sikandar had met her a few days ago and told her about the offer. He agreed to take the first instalment of Rs10,000 from her.

“He covered a few genuine dollars on top of the bundle and kept blank papers inside. Seconds after exchanging cash, he raised a false alarm of spotting the police and ran away,” said Pravin Patil, deputy commissioner of police, crime.

“Based on technical evidence, we zeroed down on the accused and took him into custody. He has been handed over to the Kopar Khairane police station where a case has been registered against him,” said Arjun Garad, senior inspector at anti-human trafficking unit which solved the case.