Three arrested from Bihar for duping people on pretext of providing them oxygen cylinders

NEW DELHI: Three members of a gang have been arrested from Bihar for allegedly duping several people on the pretext of providing them oxygen cylinders for coronavirus-affected patients, police said on Wednesday.

With the arrest of Gopal Kumar (20), Rohit Kumar (21) and Sanjeet Chaudhary (22) on Monday, the police claimed to have worked out 11 such cases registered at different police stations across the city.

All the three accused operated from their native place in Bihar's Nalanda district.

They took money on the pretext of supplying oxygen cylinders but never delivered them.

According to the police, the amount used to be transferred to the bank accounts of people belonging to the economically weaker section of the society.

The accused had paid them Rs 500 each for documents of their bank accounts.

A probe was initiated in the matter on the basis of several complaints reported at Greater Kailash and other police stations across Delhi.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Atul Kumar Thakur said, "To unearth the conspiracy and bust the syndicate committing the offence, a dedicated team was constituted and sent to Nalanda in Bihar. The whereabouts of alleged men was taken for technical surveillance and based on it, the three men were arrested."

An ATM card, bank passbooks and visiting cards of a gas agency were recovered from the possession of the accused, he said.

During interrogation, the accused disclosed their involvement in 11 such cases, the police said, adding that they have been sent to judicial custody.

The police said they are investigating the exact amount duped by the accused.