The Economic Offence Wing, Unit-I of Navi Mumbai has booked three people for cheating a former Central government employee of Rs. 10 lakh by involving him in a bogus business deal.
The complainant, Shrichand Mohanlal (61), a former assistant Plant Protection Officer with the Ministry of Agriculture at Faridabad, Haryana, had befriended William Neilda Michael on Facebook in 2017. Mr. Michael claimed to be the purchase officer of Health Pro pharmaceutical in England.
According to the first information report, Mr. Michael claimed that his company made drugs used for the injection for blocked arteries, and 'Arjuna oil' was one of the important ingredients. Mr. Mohanlal was made to believe that it was a highly profitable business deal to supply the oil to Mr. Michael from India. Mr. Michael told him that 500 ml of the oil could fetch him $11,000 in the international market. Mr. Michael connected him to Seema Jain in Koparkhairane, who could sell the medicinal oil to him.
Mr. Mohanlal then got in touch with Ms. Jain and asked for samples, for which he paid close to Rs. 5 lakh. Two bottles of the sample in 250 ml and 750 ml bottles reached Mr. Mohanlal in April 2018, following which he informed Mr. Michael.
On April 28, 2019, Leena Dedrick, who claimed to be the purchase manager of the England-based company, met Mr. Mohanlal at Delhi airport and collected the 250 ml bottle. She later informed him that the oil was authentic and the company needed 70 litres.
Mr. Mohanlal told her he would first purchase 10 litres of oil. Ms. Jain told him it would cost him Rs. 35 lakh, and he would have to pay an advance of Rs. 25 lakh.
Mr. Mohanlal informed Mr. Michael that he can pay only Rs. 5 lakh, to which Mr. Michael offered to pay her directly. Mr. Michael paid her Rs. 17 lakh after which Ms. Jain told Mr. Mohanlal that as her husband was not agreeing to the amount, he needs to pay Rs. 9 lakh more. When he insisted that he could not pay so much, Ms. Jain offered to pay Rs. 3 lakh herself and asked him to arrange for Rs. 5 lakh.
“He got suspicious and asked for his money back, which she refused to do. She also stopped taking his calls. Mr. Mohanlal's friend from Koparkhairane visited her shop and found from neighbouring shops that it was mostly shut,” an EOW official said.
Realising that he was cheated, he wrote to the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes, which forwarded the complaint to the Navi Mumbai police. A case was registered on June 20 against the three for cheating.
