A couple has been arrested by the local crime branch (LCB) of Vasai, for allegedly cheating a woman from Nalla Sopara by attempting to sell her 67 fake gold beads.

Bhana Dhanaji Marwadi, 40, and his wife, Gauri, 30, told the complainant that they had found the gold beads while tilling their ancestral land in Sabarkanta, Gujarat.

“To win her confidence, the couple sold her three real gold beads for ₹30,000 on May 5 and suggested she have them checked for authenticity. The complainant had the beads examined by a goldsmith who certified that they were of made of gold,” said Jitendra Vankoti, police inspector, LCB, Vasai.

The complainant then agreed to purchase the remaining beads but asked for three more to verify they were made of gold. Suspecting foul play, she had them examined by the goldsmith who said they were made of bronze and not gold.

“The complainant contacted us and we laid a trap for the duo. While the couple and the woman were negotiating over the sale, we arrested the accused. They later revealed that they were from Chinchoti, Vasai,” said Vankoti. According to the police, the couple had allegedly been accused of cheating numerous people in Gujarat as well.

The two were booked under section 420 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and are remanded in police custody. The Waliv police are now handling the case.

First Published: May 09, 2019 01:30 IST