LT Marg Police arrested a 19-year-old for allegedly impersonating a Mumbai gold merchant on WhatsApp and attempting to cheat another trader of Rs 25 lakh. The suspect was caught at a Zaveri Bazaar shop after an alert businessman set a trap
Navneet Udaysingh, the accused and Kalbadevi resident. PIC/BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
The LT Marg police in South Mumbai have arrested a 19-year-old man for allegedly impersonating a Mumbai-based gold merchant on WhatsApp and attempting to cheat another trader of Rs 25 lakh.
According to the police, the complainant, Lalit Kumar Jagawat, 61, who runs a bullion business in south Mumbai, was alerted on February 3 by a fellow gold trader from Jodhpur, Rajasthan, that he had received a call from an unknown person seeking R25 lakh in Jagawat’s name, claiming that the money was urgently required in Mumbai. Police said the caller had used Jagawat’s name and business display picture on WhatsApp to appear genuine. Smelling a rat, Jagawat clarified immediately that he had made no such request. The traders then coordinated to expose the impersonator to prevent any financial loss to others.
As part of the plan, Jagawat instructed the Rajasthan-based trader to direct the caller to collect the money from a jewellery shop located in south Mumbai’s Zaveri Bazaar area. Jagawat simultaneously alerted staff at the shop, and kept local police informed as well. Later that evening, the suspect arrived at the designated shop to collect the cash. He was detained on the spot and subsequently handed over to the LT Marg police. The accused has been identified as Navneet Udaysingh, a resident of Kalbadevi.
During preliminary questioning, the accused alleged that he had been sent by other individuals whose identities are still being verified. Police said no money was exchanged during the incident. An FIR has been registered under the Information Technology Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for impersonation and attempted cheating. The police suspect involvement of a larger gang, as this was not the first instance of businessmen being contacted using the complainant’s identity.
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