Mumbai party worker says he will use clout to free man jailed for sexual assault, dupes his wife of Rs 8L

Mumbai city news: The woman paid the accused in instalments over the past two years

MIDC police arrested a 49-year-old political party worker last week for allegedly duping a woman of Rs8 lakh on the pretext of freeing her husband from jail.

Police are trying to ascertain if the accused duped others using the same modus operandi. (HT File Photo)

The accused met the woman through a mutual friend in 2015. She told him her husband had been arrested and jailed for sexually assaulting a minor girl in Andheri (East).

The accused said he would use his political clout to free him. The woman paid him in instalments over the past two years. However, he kept asking for more time and money. The woman finally realised that she had been duped and asked the MIDC police to file a case in January.

Police registered a case under section 406 (criminal breach of trust) and 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code.

A magistrate court remanded the accused to police custody till June 30. Police are trying to ascertain if he duped others using the same modus operandi.