Mumbai: Indian Army officer duped in packers and movers scam; one held

Dindoshi police arrested the accused on December 13. Pic/By Special arrangement

After a seven-month probe, Dindoshi police in Mumbai arrested a 21-year-old man from Rajasthan for allegedly cheating an Indian Army officer of Rs 59,317 in a fake DTDC packers and movers scam.

The victim, a 32-year-old officer posted at the Malad Army camp in Mumbai, had recently been transferred to Assam and had approached the accused to transport his household goods worth Rs 5.27 lakh.

On April 27, four men arrived at his residence in Malad East, packed his belongings, and loaded them onto a truck. The accused told the officer the goods would be temporarily stored at a godown in Sakinaka before being transported to Assam.

The officer paid Rs 35,000 for shifting, Rs 15,810 for insurance, and Rs 8,507 for GST. When he requested a proper GST bill and delivery confirmation, the accused allegedly threatened to withhold the goods and later stopped responding, raising suspicion. Instead of transporting the belongings to Assam, they were reportedly stored in a Nalasopara godown.

The officer carried out his own investigation with the help of an acquaintance and eventually recovered the goods, transporting them to Assam at his own expense.

DCP Mahesh Chimate, Senior Inspector Mahendra Shinde, and API Sachin Survase investigated the case further, tracing transaction details that led to the arrest of Mohammad Tareef Mohammed Arif from Rajgarh, Churu district, Rajasthan, on December 13. Police said another accused, Nadeem, is still absconding.

The victim filed an online complaint on May 3, and the case was registered under the relevant sections of the law. "The accused used a fake identity and the name of a reputed logistics company to cheat the complainant," said Senior Police Inspector Shinde.