He approached the tehsildar, saying he wanted to help in the rehabilitation of people affected by cyclone Nisarga in Raigad district and also those fighting deadly COVID-19
Accused Sajid Sayyed
The Alibaug police have arrested a 43-year-old man — Sajid Sayyed — who posed as a PhD doctorate and cheated the tehsildar office of Rs 18 lakh on the pretext of helping cyclone Nisarga and COVID-affected people.
Apart from setting up three clinics, the accused had even bought medicines, gas cylinders and education material claiming that all of it was being done through an NGO and that he would pay for them later. The Alibaug tehsildar got suspicious when the staff at the clinics complained of not being paid salaries and eventually found out that Sayyed was a crook.
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Offers help
In June this year Sayyed approached tehsildar Sachin Shejal and claimed to run an NGO — All India Rehabilitation Forum. "We were busy in the rehabilitation of Velatwadi villagers when Sayyed offered to help us. Initially he set up a clinic in Khanav village where he appointed a doctor and nurse. He also distributed medicines, medical equipment, gas cylinders and educational material among the Velatwadi and Sogaw villagers," Shejal said.
Sayyed even ordered medicines in bulk for the clinics he set up in Alibaug, Wayshet and Kurdus from local dealer Ramchandra Mhatre. "Sayyed had even suggested setting up a war room for better coordination between the clinics, for which the tehsildar office had given a green signal. However, early this month the tehsildar received bills from medicine vendors and he also got to know that the furniture for the war room was taken on rent," said an officer from Alibaug police station. "The tehsildar also got to know that the doctors and nurses at the Khanav and Alibaug clinics had not been paid for the past two months," the officer added.
Vendors not paid
Investigation revealed that Sayyed had not paid Rs 18 lakh to local vendors. Tehsildar Shejal said, "I had asked him a number of times about the payments and he had assured to give the money but that never happened."
Sub-inspector BM Todkari said, "The accused was presented in Alibaug court which has sent him to police custody till September 15. Sayyed has three offences against him in Maharashtra and three in Gujarat. In all of these cases, he has cheated government officials. We suspect more people are involved in this."
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