A 48-year-old hotelier in Thane was allegedly scammed of Rs13 lakh by an individual posing as an excise department official, promising to secure a liquor sale license. The accused, claiming to be an employee of the Maharashtra state excise department, approached the victim in January last year. He convinced the hotelier that he could procure the necessary permit in exchange for a fee.
The hotelier, believing the offer was legitimate, paid the accused Rs13 lakh through multiple transactions. However, despite repeated assurances, the promised liquor license never materialized. As time passed, the hotelier grew suspicious and confronted the fraudster, only to receive evasive answers. Realizing he had been scammed, the victim filed a complaint with the Kalwa police station.
In a similar scam earlier this year, a 75-year-old man in Dombivli was duped out of ₹Rs0,000 by an unidentified individual who snatched his bag containing cash while he was distracted.
Additionally, a shocking case in Palghar led to the arrest of 26-year-old Himanshu Yogeshbahi Panchal, who posed as a Delhi Crime Branch officer. Panchal allegedly used a matrimonial website to befriend women, promising marriage and exploiting them financially and emotionally. He was arrested after one victim reported him to the police.
