Three arrested for cheating man of Rs 21 lakh

VADODARA: The local crime branch (LCB), rural has arrested three persons who have been accused of cheating a citizen of Rs 21 lakh. The cops had arrested Nikunj Bhatt, who is involved with a land mafia that grabs lands of innocent farmers by producing bogus documents, on Wednesday. His accomplices Minesh Patel, Pritesh Shah and Bhavesh Bharwad were arrested on Thursday.
The gang of four is accused of fleecing Nirav Pandya by promising a land worth Rs 1 crore to him. Pandya registered a complaint against the four on Wednesday morning at Waghodia police station. Bhatt had contacted Pandya two years ago and offered him a piece of land worth Rs one crore. The accused told Pandya that they both can buy the land in Waghodia in partnership. Bhatt claimed that he had paid Rs five lakh for the land.
Bhatt later told Pandya that they need to pay Rs 40 lakh to the land owners. Pandya gave Rs 20 lakh to Bhatt but later he realized that Bhatt had never paid any money to the land owners and neither any deal was struck. Bhatt took Rs 20 lakh from Pandya in January 2012 and later Rs one lakh for documentation. When Pandya sought his money back Bhatt began dilly-dallying.