Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru
Mangaluru, Nov 29: An inter-state fraudster who cheated a Mangaluru-based gold trader was arrested, and 240 grams of gold was recovered from his possession.
On November 21, a man who introduced himself as Arun visited Swarna Jewellers at Urwa Store, Chilimbi, located in Guzzadi Chambers. He informed the jeweller that he was opening an office at Ajant Business Centre in Bejai KPT Junction on November 22 and needed 10-gram 24-carat gold biscuits to gift his incoming guests. After selecting the design, he asked the jeweller to deliver the gold biscuits to his office the next day at 12 noon, assuring that he would make the payment immediately through RTGS once he received the gold.
On November 22, when the staff of Swarna Jewellers arrived with the gold biscuits, the accused took them to the cafeteria on the 5th floor of Ajant Business Centre. There, he collected twenty-four 10-gram, 24-carat gold biscuits and claimed he would transfer the amount from his office on the 3rd floor. However, he absconded without paying, cheating the jeweller of gold worth approximately Rs 31,00,000. Based on a complaint filed by the shop owner, Ajay Ramdas Nayak, a case was registered at Urwa police station.
Urwa police collected technical information and traced the accused, who was identified as residing in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. On November 26, the police arrested him at Puliyakulam in Coimbatore. Upon investigation, his real name was found to be Pugal Vasan alias Pugal Hasan alias Arun (50), son of Arumugam, residing at #401, B Block, 4th Floor, Padma Kiran Enclave, Singanallur, Coimbatore. He was known to operate using fake identities and cheat gold traders.
The police seized 240 grams of 24-carat gold biscuits worth Rs 31,04,000 from the accused. It was revealed that he had committed similar frauds earlier in Mumbai (Maharashtra), Hyderabad (Telangana), Chittoor (Tamil Nadu), and Tirupati (Andhra Pradesh), where cases have been registered against him.
The operation was carried out under the guidance of Mangaluru city police commissioner Sudheer Kumar Reddy, IPS, with instructions from deputy commissioners of police Mithun H N (Law & Order) and Ravishankar (Crime). The team was led by assistant commissioner of police Pratap Singh Thorat, with efforts from Urwa police station inspector Shyam Sundar H M, PSIs Gurappa Kanti and L Manjula, ASI Vinay Kumar, and staff members Anil, Bhaskar, Harish, Venkatesh, Chandrahas, and Yellalinga.