Ex-PM’s adviser tries to buy booze online, gets duped
A 31-year-old man was arrested for allegedly duping Sanjaya Baru, a political commentator and policy analyst, of `24,000 on the pretext of online delivery of liquor, the police said on Sunday.
The accused, Akib Javed, a resident of Kaman in Bharatpur, was nabbed from his native place after a raid on Saturday.
He used to work as a taxi driver earlier but indulged in cybercrime to make easy money, the police said, adding that efforts are being made to nab his associates who are absconding.
The police said the matter came to notice on June 2 after it received a complaint from Mr Baru.
In his complaint, he alleged that while he was searching for an online shop to purchase liquor, he found an online liquor shop by the name of “La Cave Wines and Spirits.” When he contacted the given number to place an order, he was asked to pay online.
After making a payment of approximately `24,000, the alleged person switched off his mobile phone, the police said.
A case was registered at Hauz Khas police station under Section 420 (Cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and an investigation was taken up, said DCP (South) Atul Kumar Thakur.
The analysis of technical evidence also revealed that the cheated amount was transferred to a PNB account in the name of Akib, he said.
Notably, Mr Baru was former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s media adviser and chief spokesperson (PMO) from May 2004 until August 2008.