2 cheat businessman with promise of VIP phone numbers, held

Two people from Thane district were arrested by Mumbai Crime Branch for allegedly duping a businessman of several lakh rupees on the pretext of getting him "VIP" mobile phone numbers, an official said on Friday.

Two people from Thane district were arrested by Mumbai Crime Branch for allegedly duping a businessman of several lakh rupees on the pretext of getting him "VIP" mobile phone numbers, an official said on Friday. The two were identified by Unit II officials as Paresh Modawala (45) and Shahrukh Niyaz Ahmed (25), both from Mumbra in Thane.

"They would promise people VIP mobile phone numbers, which many consider as status symbols, by charging Rs 1.5 lakh per number. They made a businessman pay Rs 1.11 lakh and later Rs 6 lakh for a few such numbers," he said. "After the businessman transferred the money in their bank accounts, the duo stopped taking his calls. When the victim reached the phone service provider's office, he realised he had been duped," he added.

The nodal officer of the service provider filed a complaint with Bangurnagar police, and acting on a tip-off, Crime Branch nabbed the two. They have been remanded in police custody till July 31.