2 held in UP for posing as furniture sellers, duping people

Lucknow, May 3 (IANS) The Lucknow police have arrested two members of a gang of Tamil Nadu residents, posing as furniture sellers and duping people in the name of discounted rates, the police said.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) West, Durgesh Kumar, said, "The accused have been identified as Vijay Saurirajan, 58, and M. Ganeshan, 51, both residents of Tamil Nadu's Thanjavur. They were nabbed from Dubagga on Thursday. After targeting Lucknow, the men were now planning to target people in Jharkhand and had already set up a shop but were arrested before they could succeed."

"The duo has duped at least 30-40 people in the Thakurganj area of Lucknow, and there is the possibility that they have duped many people across India. Their crime history is being searched," the DCP added.

Explaining their modus operandi, the police said that the men used to first set up a shop in a city and would properly register it by taking a GST number to look authentic.

The accused duo would then lure customers by giving them 50 per cent discount offers on furniture, electronic items, and items usually given as part of a bride's trousseau, by promoting themselves through pamphlets.

Once prospective customers had been trapped, the fraudsters would then ask them to make advance payments, telling customers to collect the item after 15 days.

After winning the customers' confidence, they would shut shop and escape.

In financial dealings with customers, the accused would also exchange counterfeit currency.

Keeping in mind the large number of victims, earlier, a case was registered under IPC 420 (cheating), and a crime team of DCP West and Dubbaga police was formed to work out the case.

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