Con man swindles traders of goods with fake shop addresses, invalid cheques
By Omkar Khandekar
The Juhu police on Saturday arrested a Versova con man for cheating a wholesaler of Rs 64,000 worth goods, by paying him with cheques of a closed bank account. Investigations revealed that the accused had been booked in several similar cases, and had secured bail on each occasion.
According to the Juhu police, for the past six months Prem Prakash, 38, a resident of Seven Bungalows, would call up stockists and identify himself as a shopkeeper. He would ask them for goods from groceries to electronics, costing between Rs 50,000 and Rs 1.5 lakh.
Prakash was finally nabbed last week, following investigations on a complaint in November made by wholesaler Deepak Megani, who had been asked to deliver branded juice packs worth Rs 64,000 to a shop in Juhu Taj Society.
According to Megani, the shop was shut and the goods was transferred to a tempo parked outside. His delivery man was directed to a nearby spot, where Prakash gave him a cheque. However, the cheque couldn’t be cashed as the bank account registered in Prakash’s name had been closed several months ago. Megani then alerted other shopkeepers in the vicinity. On Saturday, a shopkeeper alerted the police that Prakash was to receive some goods. The cops then laid a trap and arrested Prakash who confessed to the crime.
“We circulated information of Prakash’s arrest to other police stations and found that he used the same modus operandi and was booked in eight cases. In the last few months he had been arrested thrice by different police stations, but let off on bail each time,” the officer said.
Senior Police Inspector Sunil Wadke of Goregaon Police Station said that Prakash has been booked in a cheating case for ordering an energy drink consignment and not paying for it. Senior inspector Rajaram Mandge of MIDc police station said the case was registered on December 5 against the accused for duping a wholeseller of Rs 1.14 lakh, for nonpayment of dues for cans of oil.
“Prakash has been remanded to police custody till December 17. Investigations are on,” the Juhu officer added.
The Juhu police on Saturday arrested a Versova con man for cheating a wholesaler of Rs 64,000 worth goods, by paying him with cheques of a closed bank account. Investigations revealed that the accused had been booked in several similar cases, and had secured bail on each occasion.
According to the Juhu police, for the past six months Prem Prakash, 38, a resident of Seven Bungalows, would call up stockists and identify himself as a shopkeeper. He would ask them for goods from groceries to electronics, costing between Rs 50,000 and Rs 1.5 lakh.
“Prakash would give his victims an address and ask them to deliver the goods at a certain time. However, when the delivery men took the goods there, the shop would be found with its shutters down,” an investigating officer said. “Prakash would tell the delivery man he hasn’t opened his store yet, and ask him to unload the goods at the doorstep. He would then hand over a cheque and vanish with the goods in a tempo.”
Prakash was finally nabbed last week, following investigations on a complaint in November made by wholesaler Deepak Megani, who had been asked to deliver branded juice packs worth Rs 64,000 to a shop in Juhu Taj Society.
According to Megani, the shop was shut and the goods was transferred to a tempo parked outside. His delivery man was directed to a nearby spot, where Prakash gave him a cheque. However, the cheque couldn’t be cashed as the bank account registered in Prakash’s name had been closed several months ago. Megani then alerted other shopkeepers in the vicinity. On Saturday, a shopkeeper alerted the police that Prakash was to receive some goods. The cops then laid a trap and arrested Prakash who confessed to the crime.
“We circulated information of Prakash’s arrest to other police stations and found that he used the same modus operandi and was booked in eight cases. In the last few months he had been arrested thrice by different police stations, but let off on bail each time,” the officer said.
Senior Police Inspector Sunil Wadke of Goregaon Police Station said that Prakash has been booked in a cheating case for ordering an energy drink consignment and not paying for it. Senior inspector Rajaram Mandge of MIDc police station said the case was registered on December 5 against the accused for duping a wholeseller of Rs 1.14 lakh, for nonpayment of dues for cans of oil.
“Prakash has been remanded to police custody till December 17. Investigations are on,” the Juhu officer added.
