A Bhandup-based college student was in for a shock, when a stranger — posing as a prospective customer — fled with his motorcycle that he had given the latter for a test drive. The 24-year-old youngster, Runik Krishna Dhir, who is a resident of Kamal Sadar Housing Society in Bhandup (east), wanted to sell his motorcycle and had posted an advertisement in this regard on an online website. The accused contacted him through the website, and showed keen interest in buying the motorcycle from him. “Dhir owned a Honda Karizma bearing the registration number MH04-EW-9624. On the suggestion of a friend, Dhir posted an advertisement for the same, on an online website. After a few days, a man contacted Dhir on his cellphone number and told him that he wanted to buy his motorcycle. Both of them then decided to meet and fix the deal,” said a sub-inspector of Kanjurmarg police station According to the official, Dhir agreed to sell his motorcyle for '70,000 and asked the man to come to his residence to seal the transaction. However, when the customer met him, he requested that he be allowed to take a test drive before making the payment. “Dhir agreed and handed over his motorcycle keys to the accused, who told him that he would be riding it on 90 feet Road. However, the accused did not return. When Dhir tried contacting him, his cellphone was switched off. Dhir then realised that he had been conned,” the official said. Dhir recently approached the Kanjurmarg police and filed a complaint. The police has now launched a manhunt to nab the accused. Confirming the incident, PSI Yogesh Thakur of the Kanjurmarg police said that the police has registered an offence under Section 406 (criminal breach of trust) and 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code and is on the lookout for the accused.
