Thane: Conman dupes 40-year-old of Rs 23 lakh

Thane: A 40-year-old man was allegedly duped by a conman into paying Rs 23.17 lakh under the pretext of getting him a license for liquor sale, police said on Monday.

According to complainant Mahesh Badgujar, the cheating took place between 2009 and 2011, after accused Ashutosh Srivastava from suburban Andheri in neighbouring Mumbai struck a friendship with the victim while he was on a family vacation in Bangkok in September 2009.

Srivastava had then offered to help the victim in getting his daughter admitted to a boarding school at Musoorie. After a requisite payment of Rs 1, 86,000 the accused secured an admission there for Badgujar's daughter.

Later, when Badgujar went to Riyadh in connection with his work in 2010, the accused offered to procure him a license for liquor sale for Rs 26.17 lakh, which the victim promptly paid, the complaint said.

However, after some time, the victim was informed that the license could not be allotted to him and hence amount would be refunded. But despite several reminders the amount was not refunded and the accused even changed his cell number and residence.

On pursuance, he made a payment of Rs 3 lakh but did not respond further to the victim's calls.

On one occasion, when the complainant met the accused at an airport, the latter told him that his mother had expired and he was in great difficulty and would refund the money later but he never did, till this date.

Police said an offence was registered in this regard under section 420 and 406 of the IPC with Kapurbawdi police station of Wagle division last night.