MAN HELD IN CHEATING CASE WAS ARRESTED IN 2013, WAS OUT ON BAIL

NAVI MUMBAI: The Economic Offences Wing of the Navi Mumbaicrimebranch, whichisinvestigating a ₹48-lakh cheating case against a man who posed as customs officerand promisedjobsto 150 people in Kharghar, it has come to light that the accused was arrested in 2013 for a similar con job.

Police sources learnt that the accused Santosh Patil, 48, was booked by the Pen police in Raigad district in 2013. He was arrested and released on bail.

“We have learnt he was in jail for over three years. The case has not moved forward. Currently, a non-bailable warrant has been issued in the case,” said an officer privy to the current investigations.

In February 2018, Patil targeted a 39-year-old woman in Kharghar. He showed up near her apartment in a customs officer uniform and claimed to be a senior officer with the Central CustomsandExcisedepartment.

Introducing himself as the husband of her aunt, Patil told the woman that the customs department is recruiting and he would help anyone looking for a job.

He charged registration fee of ₹3,500 for constable level, ₹10,500 forsecurity guardand₹35,000 for a customs officer’s post and cheated 150 people.

The police are also probing to ascertain that he has cheated women into marriages as well.

Policelearntthatwhilehewas married to a woman in Nevali in Panvel, he was previously married to a Pen-based woman and before that he had married another woman in Alibag.

THANE: Three men, including an autorickshaw driver, have been arrested for allegedly beating up a passenger and robbing him three months ago, the Thane police said on Thursday.

Another two accused were absconding, said senior police inspector Jairaj Ranaware.

The incident took place on the intervening night of September 15 and 16 when the complainant, who worked at a restaurant, was looking for an autorickshaw near Kapurbawdi junction in Thane.

He boarded a rickshaw which had four persons besides the driver already sitting inside.

The rickshaw was stopped on Ghodbunder Road with two of the passengers saying they wanted to answer nature’s call.

They threatened the complainant with a knife and robbed himofhismobilephoneandcash before beating him up and fleeing.

Police arrested driver Pirdutta alias Ganesh Ahire, 25, Sandeep Kumar alias Deepak

Dubey, 23, and Vinodkumar Lalchand Gupta,39, earlier this week. Search is on for two other accused, inspector Ranaware said.

Meanwhile, Shahapur police arrested three accused for robbing a truck driver on MumbaiAgra Highway on December 3. Umesh Bhwar, 29, Akhash Kumte, 32 and Pramod Khotkar, 30, allegedly looted a truck driver, threatening to kill him. The police said, “They have more than 12 cases of theft against them. We have recovered jewellery, bikes and other valuables worth ₹3 lakh.”

› He was in jail for over three years. The case has not moved forward. A non-bailable warrant has been issued in the case. POLICE OFFICER