New Delhi, Feb 6: The Economic Offences Wing of Delhi Police has arrested two people for allegedly cheating a man of nearly Rs 9 crore on the pretext of providing antique items having radioactive properties that can be later sold to the US space agency NASA at higher price.
The accused were identified as 44-year-old Amit Gupta, a resident of Uttar Pradesh’s Ghaziabad and 44-year-old Ganesh Ingole, a resident of Maharashtra.
Furnishing details about the case, Delhi Joint Commissioner of Police (CP), Chhaya Sharma said a case was registered on the complaint of the victim Gautam Puri, who alleged that the accused persons — Amit Gupta and Rakesh Goel — approached him regarding sale of antique items that is, rice puller, radioactive mirror and antique articles and lured him to deal in the same.
The accused duo arranged the complainant’s meetings with other accused — Ganesh Ingole, Satyanarain Anoria, among others, who even showed him affiliation from various Indian and foreign scientific institutes and assured that they are legally entitled and certified to testify genuineness and authenticity of the antique items.
“The accused persons told the complainant that genuineness of antique items can be checked only by scientists from BARC, DRDO and the archaeological laboratory, and there are rules and regulations which are to be followed in the process of verification of genuineness,” the Delhi Joint CP added.
On the assurance of the alleged persons that the market price of antique articles in the international market is Rs 11 crore per inch, the complainant got lured that he will get exponential profit in the deal, but initially he has to incur expenses on testing of antique articles.
The victim was lured to deliver money to the tune of Rs nine crore through cheque, RTGS and in cash to the alleged persons — Amit Gupta, Ganesh Ingole, Rakesh Goel, Satyanarain Anoria, among others, but the latter did not conduct any testing.
The complainant alleged that the accused persons in a very calculated manner by hatching criminal conspiracy caused him wrongful loss of Rs 8.93 crore.
During the course of investigation it was revealed that the accused persons — Amit Gupta, Ganesh Ingole along with other co-accused collected the amount from the complainant on the pretext of testing the genuineness and authenticity of antique items for radioactive properties so that same can be sold out to NASA and World Meteorological Organisation for research and development.
The accused Amit Gupta was the kingpin of the alleged cheating racket and he along with co-accused Rakesh Goel had lured the complainant to invest money. The accused Ganesh Ingole was a postgraduate in mechanical engineering and had done his project training from BARC for six months.
The accused persons were also involved in eight more cases registered in different states. “Further investigation into the case is underway,” the police official said. (IANS)