Surat: Police booked four persons in Amroli on Tuesday for alleged cheating a businessman of Rs 26 lakh by offering him a highly profitable deal of medicinal oil.
The accused found phone number of the businessman online and carried out the entire fraud over phone in July. The accused had posed as owners and employees of a UK-based pharmaceutical company.
Police booked Shradhha Gaikwad, Dr Barnes Dauson, Alex David and Mariah Harvey for alleged duping Nihar Bhuva (29), a medicine distributor of Rs 26 lakh. Bhuva had put his mobile number on a few websites for business purpose.
The accused after contacting Bhuva over phone offered to buy a medicinal oil at more than double the price from the Indian market rate. “The specific oil is available at price of US $1,500 per litre in India but the caller offered to pay US $3,500. The caller told Bhuva that they have buyers ready to buy the oil at US $4,000,” said a police officer at Amroli police station.
The accused wanted minimum 50 litres. The accused also suggested name of Gaikwad to Bhuva and explained that they cannot directly buy the oil from her. Trusting the callers Bhuva contacted other accused and paid the money.
Bhuva transferred Rs 26 lakh in different bank accounts as directed by the accused. “The entire fraud was done over phone. The complainant transferred the money believing the callers over phone while trying to earn huge profit,” said police.
Police is examining details of the phones numbers from which the accused made calls and sent messages to Bhuva. The accused had contacted Bhuva from two UK mobile numbers and other Indian number.
