
A 23-year-old man has been arrested by the Azad Maidan police on Monday for allegedly duping a 30-year-old businessman of Rs 1.25 crore on the pretext of facilitating the purchase of a high-end car at a discounted rate.
The police said the accused, Arjun Raj, has two more FIRs registered against him for allegedly duping two businessmen of Rs 65 lakh and Rs 35 lakh, respectively. While the three businessmen were duped in 2021, the FIRs were registered in the last week of February after the victims realised that they had been conned.
The police said Raj posed as a broker of a New Delhi-based luxury car dealer and approached the three businessmen, duping them of Rs 2.25 crore in all.
In one such instance, the 30-year-old complainant, who is an owner of a cargo company and a resident of Peddar road, was duped of Rs 1.25 crore. “Raj approached the complainant in his office at CST. He claimed that he could help him get a new Mercedes at Rs 1,25,71,325,” said an officer.
The police said months after the businessman transferred the money, Raj neither facilitated the purchase of any vehicle nor did he return the money. The complainant then approached the police station.
In another instance, the 45-year-old sister of a businessman is the complainant. The police said that Raj had also promised him a high-end Mercedes at a discounted rate and took money from the businessman.
The businessman transferred Rs 40.5 lakh between July 27, 2021 and December 1, 2021 while also giving Raj his BMW and his wife’s Range Rover valued at Rs 24.5 lakh in return for the Mercedes. The accused gave him a fake invoice of the New Delhi-based high-end car dealer. “Later, as Raj did not give him any car or money, the businessman learnt that the invoice was fake. Following this, he approached the police,” said the officer.
According to the third FIR, also registered at Azad Maidan police station, Raj allegedly took Rs 35 lakh from a 50-year-old businessman. “He was also promised a brand new Mercedes. The accused took the money from the complainant between September 29, 2021 and October 1, 2021,” said the officer.
On Monday, Raj was arrested from Navi Mumbai. Police said he has duped more people in Navi Mumbai and Pune.
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