Two held for cheating sellers of goods on online marketplace

Two persons have been arrested byThane police in Maharashtra for allegedly cheating peopleunder the pretext of buying their goods put up for sale on anonline marketplace, an official said on Wednesday.

He said the accused duo used to issue cheques infictitious names under the pretext of purchasing the goods,after meeting the sellers.

''A victim had posted an advertisement on the onlineplatform for selling his new laptop as he wanted to go abroad.

One of the accused approached him, took his laptop and issueda cheque of Rs 2.30 lakh. When the victim went to the bank toencash the cheque with the accused, the latter fled with thelaptop,'' said Kasarwadavali police station senior inspectorKishore Khairnar.

He said the cheque given by the accused couldn't beencashed as it was issued in the name of a defunct IT company.

Police tracked down the accused, identified asPeteralias Ryce Josh Sanchez (30) to Malvani near suburban Malad inMumbai, and arrested him, he said.

Sanchez's accomplice Siddesh Sawant (30) was picked upfrom Virar in neighbouring Palghar district, the seniorinspector said, adding that the stolen laptop was alsorecovered from a person in Lamington Road in Mumbai.

The accused duo told the police that they hadtargeted others using a similar modus operandi, he added.