New Delhi, May 13 (PTI) The Delhi Police has arrested a man from Maharashtra for allegedly cheating a Delhi resident of Rs 9.25 lakh on the pretext of arranging a visa and overseas job, an official said on Wednesday.
Police said they arrested the accused, 37-year-old Anup Dharmole — the key conspirator in the racket — from a hotel in Panvel, Maharashtra, after a week-long operation involving technical surveillance and multiple raids.
He was operating using fake identities and frequently changing hotels to evade arrest.
According to police, the complainant, a Shalimar Bagh resident in Delhi, had lodged an online complaint alleging that he was cheated of Rs 9.25 lakh after applying for an overseas job through a website.
“A person claiming to offer visa consultancy and overseas placement services contacted the victim through social media. The accused gained his trust and gradually extracted money in the name of visa processing, documentation and various clearances,” the officer said.
Following the complaint, an e-FIR was registered on March 24.
Police found that the mobile number used in the fraud was registered using a mule identity.
The money trail and technical analysis later pointed investigators towards Mumbai. Police said the beneficiaries of the bank transactions initially appeared genuine, which complicated the probe.
On questioning, investigators discovered that several account holders worked as managers in clubs in Mumbai. The probe revealed that the accused would visit clubs, befriend staff members and gain their confidence before routing cheated money through their accounts.
“He paid his dues using the transferred amount and kept the remaining money,” said the officer, adding that the accused used the pseudo identity and had severed ties with his family nearly three years ago.
Dharmole admitted that he had been duping people by arranging visas and overseas jobs after leaving home around three years ago.
Police said they recovered three mobile phones and a laptop allegedly used in the crime.
Investigators also found that the accused was in contact with two more people whom he was allegedly attempting to cheat using a similar modus operandi.
One of them, a victim from Maharashtra, had already paid Rs 25,000 and was allegedly being persuaded to pay Rs 3 lakh for an overseas job arrangement. Another person from Haryana was also about to make an advance payment when police intervened.
Police said Dharmole was previously involved in three cheating cases registered in Maharashtra and Uttarakhand. PTI BM ASD ASD
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