FRIDAY, APRIL 19, 2024
Team Herald
PANJIM: The Panjim police have apprehended Tarun Bhattacharya, a 63-year-old native of Chattisgarh, on charges of cheating Abhilash Velingkar, the proprietor of Unplugged Metal Works in Taleigao, out of a sum of Rs 4.99 lakh under the pretext of delivering steel materials.
The complaint filed by Velingkar alleged that three individuals, namely Divyanshi Enterprises at Shree Shyam Vatika Ram Nagar Market, Chattisgarh, along with its proprietor Amit Pandey and representative Tarun Bhattacharya, collectively conspired to deceive him.
They lured the complainant with a promise to deliver steel materials worth Rs 13,48,876 within a timeframe of three to four days, in exchange for an advance payment of Rs five lakh. However, despite receiving the advance payment, the accused failed to fulfil their end of the agreement and neglected to deliver the promised steel materials. Adding insult to injury, they proceeded to issue two cheques, each amounting to Rs 2.50 lakh, from a dormant account. As a result, the complainant suffered a loss of Rs 4.99 lakh.
A team from the Panjim police was dispatched to Chattisgarh. With the assistance of the Padmanabh police station, Bhattacharya was apprehended and subsequently transported back to Goa.
The accused was presented before the Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) in Panjim, who remanded him to two days of police custody.
Authorities suspect that this particular fraudster and his accomplices have duped numerous individuals, companies, and firms across the country using the same modus operandi.
The scale of the alleged deceit potentially amounts to lakhs of rupees.
