Goemkarponn desk
PANAJI: In a shocking turn of events, a man has been defrauded of ₹ 4.34 crore by a close friend who lured him with the promise of an affordable plot of land near Goa’s Mopa airport, assuring him substantial profits upon its sale.
Kaluram Pandharinath Chaudhary (53), a resident of Duttnagar, Ambegaon, lodged a formal complaint at the Market Yard police station on October 17, revealing the elaborate scheme that saw his own friend masterminding the scam.
The primary accused, Jeevan Popat Magade (35), has been apprehended by the police, while efforts to apprehend the other suspects are ongoing.
The intricate deception unfolded between September 2021 and February 2023 at Mastani House within the premises of Hotel Utsav in Market Yard.
As per the police investigation, Chaudhary had a nine-year acquaintance with Kachre, one of the alleged culprits. Exploiting their relationship, Kachre managed to persuade Chaudhary to invest his hard-earned money in the purchase of land near Mopa airport, enticing him with the promise of substantial returns upon resale.
Without a trace of doubt, Chaudhary used his property as collateral to secure a bank loan, transferring a staggering ₹4.34 crore into various accounts over the course of September 2021 to February 2023.
Kachre initially maintained the façade by making timely installment payments, fostering trust between him and Chaudhary. However, once the full amount was received, Kachre reneged on the payments and vanished.
Recognizing the deceit, Chaudhary promptly sought assistance from the Market Yard police, filing a formal complaint against the primary accused and his accomplices.
The police apprehended Kachre in his hometown in Narhe, Ambegaon. During the course of the interrogation, it became apparent that the accused had previously been implicated in similar fraudulent schemes.
The police have launched a comprehensive investigation into the matter, with plans to apprehend the other suspects.
In response, a First Information Report (FIR) has been registered against the accused, invoking sections 420 (cheating), 406 (punishment for committing criminal breach of trust), 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention), and relevant sections of the Maharashtra Protection of Interest of Depositors (MPID) Act.
