After a seven-month investigation, Dindoshi police in Mumbai arrested 21-year-old Mohammad Tareef Mohammed Arif from Rajgarh, Churu district, Rajasthan, for allegedly cheating an Indian Army officer of Rs 59,317 in a fake DTDC packers and movers scam.
The 32-year-old officer, recently transferred from the Malad Army camp in Mumbai to Assam, had hired the accused to transport his household goods valued at Rs 5.27 lakh.
On April 27, four men arrived at the officer’s Malad East residence, packed his belongings, and loaded them onto a truck. The accused claimed the goods would be temporarily stored at a godown in Sakinaka before being sent to Assam.
The officer paid Rs 35,000 for shifting, Rs 15,810 for insurance, and Rs 8,507 for GST. When he requested proper documentation and delivery confirmation, the accused allegedly threatened to withhold the goods and then stopped responding. Instead of transporting the belongings, the goods were reportedly stored in a Nalasopara godown.
The officer, with help from an acquaintance, managed to recover his belongings and transport them to Assam at his own expense.
Police, led by DCP Mahesh Chimate, Senior Inspector Mahendra Shinde, and API Sachin Survase, traced transaction details that led to Mohammad Tareef’s arrest on December 13. Another accused, Nadeem, remains absconding.
The victim had filed an online complaint on May 3. “The accused used a fake identity and the name of a reputed logistics company to cheat the complainant,” said Senior Police Inspector Shinde.
