Invite to become a business partner possible scam; Gurugram man loses Rs 1.2 cr

Gurugram: Emails, chats or messages inviting people to start a new business in India with a foreign investor can be a scam, warns police. An ex-employee of auto giant Maruti was duped by conmen to the tune of Rs 1.2 crore on the pretext of setting up pharma business in India.

It was on June 16 when the victim was approached on Facebook by the gang member who identified herself as Poonam Makyalaa. She sent him an email and offered a business proposal. As per the victim’s complaint, Poonam said that she was working with the Anti-Terror Squad of the United Kingdom and was looking for an opportunity to start a pharma business in India and was on a lookout for a local partner.

The victim, Dhirendra Kumar, a resident of Maruti Vihar, Chakkarpur in Gurugram.

“Poonam said that she was looking for a trusted partner in India and offered him a partnership. She also said she will pay Rs 87 lakh into his accounts through an agent named Antonio using the diplomatic channel. But, to do all this she asked him to deposit some money, in the beginning, to get the process going,” said the cops.

She asked the victim to deposit money in various accounts for processing documentation, customs tax and other taxes.  “In total, the victim was made to deposit Rs 1.2 crore in various accounts,” said the officer.

Soon after receiving the amount, Poonam stopped taking his calls which raised suspicion following which he registered a case against her at the Cyber Crime police station in June-end.

An FIR was registered under sections 420 (cheating) and 419 (cheating by personation) of the IPC and Section 66D (whoever by means for any communication device or computer resource cheats by personating) of the IT Act at the Cyber Crime police station.

“After receiving the lead inputs about the culprits though technical surveillance two of the accused identified as Ranjit Kumar Thakur of Bihar and currently resides in Kishanganj in Delhi and Murphy Amavodia of Nigeria who is also living in the same locality, were nabbed on Monday from Delhi,” said a senior police officer.