Navi Mumbai doctor loses Rs 21 lakh in loan fraud; finance firm owner booked

He said the doctor had been seeking a substantial loan when he came in contact with Panchal, who claimed he could secure a loan of Rs 3 crore for him from multiple banks.

The doctor agreed to pay a commission for the service and gave the accused Rs 21 lakh, he said, adding that the offence took place over the last few years.

"The accused shared a loan sanction letter supposedly issued by a reputed bank. However, upon verification, the complainant later found that the document was fabricated," the officer said.

According to the police, Panchal had already collected Rs 21 lakh as commission by the time the doctor realised he had been cheated, reported PTI.

He said the investigation is ongoing, and efforts are on to trace and apprehend the accused.

Senior citizen duped of Rs 10 lakh by fraudsters posing as cyber cell officials

In another case, a 68-year-old woman from Navi Mumbai allegedly lost Rs 10 lakh to two cyber fraudsters who posed as officials from the telecom department and Mumbai cyber cell investigating her for money laundering, police said on Saturday, reported PTI.

The complainant, a retired bank employee, received phone calls from two unknown mobile numbers on July 15 and 16, during which the callers claimed there were allegations of money laundering and smuggling of body parts against her, an official said, reported PTI.

He said the callers allegedly introduced themselves as officials from the telecom department and the Mumbai cyber cell.

"The accused managed to gain the victim's trust by invoking fear and urgency, and instructed her to withdraw money from her account under the pretext of placing it into fixed deposits for verification purposes," the officer explained, reported PTI.

He said that the complainant transferred Rs 10 lakh to a bank account mentioned by the callers. But on contacting the relevant authorities, she later discovered that there were no such complaints or investigations against her, reported PTI.

Efforts are currently underway to trace the accused and their locations using technical surveillance.

"We are verifying the phone numbers and bank account details used in the crime," the officer said.

An FIR has been registered under sections 318(4) (cheating) and 319(2) (cheating by personation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and relevant provisions of the Information Technology Act, he said.

(With inputs from PTI)

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