30 April,2026 10:55 AM IST | Thane | mid-day online correspondent
Representational image. File pic
A 61-year-old woman from Thane, who had worked as a baby caretaker in Dubai, has allegedly been cheated of Rs 15.76 lakh under the pretext of receiving a parcel containing valuables from abroad.
As reported by news agency PTI, the woman, who lives near Thane railway station in Maharashtra, alleged that two persons contacted her on her Dubai mobile number on April 14. After contacting her, they informed her that her gold ornaments and a high-end phone had arrived at the Mumbai airport from Italy.
Officials, while further briefing about the incident, said, "They told her that the consignment needed to be cleared before April 22 and threatened that if she failed to do so, she would face legal action and would not be allowed to go back to Dubai," as per PTI.
He also said, "The fraudsters allegedly made multiple calls to the woman from different numbers and shared bank account details via WhatsApp, coercing her into transferring money on several occasions."
"Under pressure and fear of arrest, the woman transferred Rs 15,76,000 into various bank accounts provided by the fraudsters," the official said.
The woman approached the police on Tuesday, following which a case was registered against two unidentified persons under sections 318(4) (cheating) and 3(5) (common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Efforts were underway to trace the culprits, the police added.
Navghar police have arrested two builders for allegedly cheating their business partner and syphoning off over Rs 2.55 crore in a redevelopment project in Mulund East.
The accused, identified as Kamlesh alias Keshav Damji Minat (51) and Premji Velji Patel (53), have been arrested and remanded to judicial custody.
According to the police, the complainant, a Navi Mumbai-based builder, had formed Amardeep Construction Company in 2011 along with the accused and another partner. In 2014, the firm undertook a project in Mulund East, where the initially equal partnership was later altered under pressure, giving the accused a larger share.
Police said that between August 30, 2018, and December 29, 2020, the accused allegedly sold three flats to a family. While the total deal value was Rs 2.55 crore, only Rs 31.32 lakh was deposited into the company's account. The remaining amount was allegedly collected in cash and misappropriated without the knowledge or consent of the other partners.
(With inputs from PTI)
