Man cheated of Rs 17L, two arrested by SOG

Vadodara: The special operations group (SOG) of the city police arrested two persons from Bhavnagar on Friday for cheating a resident of Chhani of Rs 17.4 lakh.
Police officials said that a few days ago a message was widely shared on the social media and WhatsApp warning people about two men who promise to settle family and property disputes through religious ceremonies. “There were some details about the duo, so we laid a trap to nab them,” said inspector M R Solanki of SOG. The two accused Vinod Jani and Ravi Joshi were nabbed in Alkapuri on Friday night.
During the interrogation they admitted having cheated a man living in Chhani. Police said that the two accused had promised the victim to settle his family disputes by giving him ‘yantra’ and religious threads. The conmen took Rs 17.4 lakh from him and then disappeared. “So far they have admitted of just one crime, but we are hopeful that more victims will come forward in coming days,” Solanki said.
The two accused used to charge Rs 10 lakh for the ‘yantra’. Cops said that they used to take Rs 5 lakh is advance payment and remaining amount after the work was done. Several such ‘yantra’ made of copper and threads were found from them.