17-year-old tries to buy iPhone with ‘Children’s Bank of India’ notes, sent to juvenile home

The accused was placed under arrest on Friday after the complainant, a cyber crime consultant who was selling the phone on an online portal, realised the notes were fake. (Representational Image)

A 17-YEAR-OLD who desperately wanted to purchase an iPhone 7 was caught by the Azad Maidan police after he allegedly used fake Rs 2,000 notes that had “The Children Bank of India” written on them to buy it. The accused was placed under arrest on Friday after the complainant, a cyber crime consultant who was selling the phone on an online portal, realised the notes were fake. The 17-year-old was handed over to the Azad Maidan police and they found 60 notes with a face value of Rs 2,000 from him.

In his complaint to the police, Sameer Nagodriya (27), the cyber crime consultant based in south Mumbai, said he wanted to sell his iPhone 7 and placed an advertisement for it online. The juvenile approached the complainant online and told him that he would be interested in buying the phone. Accordingly, the duo decided to meet outside a McDonald’s outlet opposite CST Friday afternoon, an officer said.

After they met, the 17-year-old inspected the mobile phone and told Nagodriya that he would be interested in buying it. As payment, he handed over a bundle of Rs 2,000 notes to the complainant and started walking away with the phone. When Nagodriya checked the notes, he found that they bore the name, “The Children’s Bank of India”. He started chasing the 17-year-old and caught hold of him. Nagodriya then took him to the Azad Maidan police station where a case of attempt to use forged currency was registered and the 17-year-old was placed under arrest.

Senior Inspector at Azad Maidan police station, Vasanth Wakhare, said: “After we placed him under arrest, his family members approached us with proof that he was 17 years old. He was then sent to a children’s home.” He added: “Prime facie it appears that the 17-year-old purchased the notes from a shop in Thane. He desperately wanted to buy an iPhone. As he did not have money for the phone, he purchased fake currency to get it.” The boy is a Kalyan resident and has studied till Class X. He had been working in a garage, the senior inspector said.