India, Aug. 6 -- A 49-year-old businessman from Andheri was duped of Rs.30 lakh by three individuals who allegedly lured him to invest in their betel nut business, assuring huge profits. They told him that they struck a deal with a Somalian trader for 52 tonnes of betel nut worth Rs.1.3 crore and asked him to pay an advance payment of Rs.30 lakh in cash, after which the accused didn't respond to his calls, said a police officer.

According to the police, the businessman, Shriprakash Shyamnarayan Shukla, was approached by one of his relatives, Sundar alias Amresh Mishra, in December last year, asking if he was interested in investing in the betel nut business of one of his acquaintances, Ramkishana Pandey, from Ulhasnagar, who was looking ...