The officials further learnt that he had managed to secure bail in that case but he was supposed to present himself before Marine Drive police every Monday and Wednesday. (Representational) A THIRD-YEAR law student has been arrested for allegedly duping a 28-year-old businessman from Lamington Road in south Mumbai by posing as an assistant to a magistrate. The police said that the accused had approached the complainant, who deals in electronic items, claiming that the magistrate from the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate court in CST wanted to buy two MacBook Air and an iPhone, following which the law student took him to court and escaped from the rear gate.
According to police officials, the incident took place on January 27. “He went to the shopkeeper, shortlisted two MacBook air and iPhone 13 PRO, after which he asked him to accompany him to the court and claimed that the magistrate would pay the businessman himself,” said an officer.
However as soon as they entered, the fraudster asked the businessman to wait at the main gate while he went inside and escaped from the rear gate.
As he did not turn up for a long time, the complainant went inside and enquired with the court staff, and realised that he had been duped. The following day, the businessman went to Azad Maidan police station and lodged a complaint, after which a case under Section 420 (cheating) was registered. “In the hunt for the culprit, we started scrutinising the CCTV footage of cameras installed in south Mumbai. And when we checked whether the person was arrested by any police station earlier, we came to know that his name is Himalaya Devkate and he had been arrested by Marine Drive police station for outraging the modesty of a girl on social media,” said an officer.
The officials further learnt that he had managed to secure bail in that case but he was supposed to present himself before Marine Drive police every Monday and Wednesday.
“And as soon as he entered Marine Drive police station on Monday, he was apprehended,” said an officer. Devkate was produced in court on Monday and remanded in police custody.
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