Fake cops rob Rs.2 cr from infra firm staff
MUMBAI, Dec. 14 -- Two employees of an infrastructure firm, on the way to deliver Rs.2 crore to a client, were looted by a duo pretending to be Crime Branch officers. The thieves, who arrived on a Royal Enfield Bullet bike dressed in khaki and brown shoes, threatened the two employees, took away their cash and told them to "join the investigation" at the Crime Branch office. The police said the incident took place in Khetwadi in South Mumbai.
According to the SVP Road police, a case has been registered against unknown men under Sections 204 (impersonating a public servant), 205 (fraudulently wearing a uniform or carrying a token of a public servant), 309 (robbery) and 319 (cheating by impersonation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.
The police said that Iqbal Mussa Merchant, 65, worked as a manager-cum-cashier with Y M Infra, a construction company. "It is Merchant's job to bring cash and deliver it to people as instructed by the owners," said the police officer. "On Friday, he was asked by Atif Yakub, a director of the company, to take Rs.2 crore from Panchratna Building, Opera House, and deliver it to a businessman in Panjarpol area in Girgaon. Accordingly, in the evening, he took the cash and went to deliver it to the businessman. His colleague, Shehbaz Khan, was with him."
When the duo reached Khetwadi, a Royal Enfield two-wheeler came up from behind with two people on it. "They were tall and wearing khaki pants and brown shoes like policemen," said the police officer. "They overtook the employees, asked them to stop and began threatening them. When Merchant questioned them, they began filming him on a mobile phone and even made a fake call, saying, 'Sir, Jai Hind, we have caught them red-handed with cash'."
The officer said that the thieves warned the infra company employees that they were "aware of their illegal businesses". "When Merchant told them that they wanted to go along with them to the police station, they snatched the bag containing Rs.2 crore and the three mobile phones that the duo had," said the police officer. "They told them to join the investigation at the Crime Branch office and left."
An offence was registered Saturday, and the police are investigating the case....
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