The Surat Police on Friday arrested a person who posed as an IPS officer and cheated two actual property builders from Maharashtra and Surat by luring them to grow to be companions in a closed Gujarat tourism lodge in Surat and Dangs districts. The police stated the person cheated the 2 builders of over Rs 31 lakh.
The person has been recognized as Pradeep Patel, 45, a resident of Kamrej and a local of Gandhinagar. He was later produced earlier than the Surat district courtroom which forwarded him to police remand until August 20.
In line with the FIR filed on August 14, in 2021, complainant Samir Jamadar, a resident of Sangli in Maharashtra, got here in touch with a person known as Sandeep Patel (whose actual title is Pradeep Patel) by means of a typical buddy at a farm home in Gandhinagar. Patel had allegedly advised him that he’s a Gujarat cadre IPS officer and has powers to switch cops. He additionally advised Jamadar that he would assist him for any work in Gujarat.
The FIR added, “The 2 grew to become shut pals. In September 2023, Patel advised Jamadar that he had bought off his Gandhinagar bungalow and invested Rs 28 lakh to purchase a closed Gujarat Tourism Division lodge known as Toral on the Valthan village on NH 48 in Kamrej. He additionally advised him that he’s falling in need of Rs 25 lakh. Subsequently, Patel provided a 30 % partnership and requested Jamadar to spend money on the lodge.”
“Between September 2023 and Might 2024, Jamadar paid Rs 23 lakh to Patel by means of personal courier. Nonetheless, when Jamadar requested him to indicate the paperwork of the partnership of the lodge, Patel saved making excuses. Later, by means of native individuals, Jamadar received to know that Patel is a conman. When Jamadar threatened Patel, he returned Rs 12 lakh however saved making excuses when requested to return the remaining quantity,” the FIR talked about.
When Patel did not pay again, Jamadar approached the police.
R R Sarvaiya, Kamrej Deputy Superintendent of Police stated, “Now we have arrested the accused and have seized khaki pants, his cell phone and a automotive which he used whereas assembly his prey. Whereas going by means of his cell phone, we’ve got discovered that he used to don uniforms of IPS officers and pose for images with a baton in his hand. He used to indicate these images to his victims to realize their confidence. He owns a bungalow in a residential society and stays together with his spouse, two youngsters and his father.”
Sarvaiya added, “These residing round his house advised us that Patel used to enter the society in an Innova automotive donning an IPS officer’s cranium cap whereas the baton lay on the dashboard. Nonetheless, no person talked to him or his members of the family.”
He additional added, “After we registered an offence in opposition to him, another sufferer approached us and lodged a dishonest criticism. The second sufferer is Kaushik Gajera, a resident of Kamrej village, who was allegedly cheated by the accused by means of the identical modus operandi.”
Gajera had in his criticism alleged that Patel, a few months in the past, had taken Rs 20.5 lakh from him to make him a associate of a closed authorities lodge on the Saputara hill within the Dangs district.
“Patel had failed to provide particulars of the partnership settlement of the lodge enterprise and had made completely different excuses. We suspect many extra individuals could have grow to be victims and attraction them to return ahead and lodge complaints in opposition to him,” Sarvaiya stated.
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