3 booked for duping businessman of Rs 7 lakh, misusing his company data

Thane, Sep 4 (PTI) Three persons allegedly cheated a businessman here of Rs 7 lakh under the pretext of helping him expand his business, and also misused his company's data by hacking into the system, police said on Thursday.

The victim runs a hair oil company in Maharashtra's Thane city, they said, adding the crime took place over the last three years.

An Amravati-based couple and their aide from Washim had approached the victim promising to expand his business by setting up its new branches, creating a software and providing trained staff.

They took Rs 7,01,500 from him under this pretext, an official from Wagle Estate police station said.

The accused also secured access to the company's social media accounts and later changed the login credentials.

"They hacked the system, reset passwords, and misused the company's data for their personal benefit. The person from Washim supported the couple in the fraud," the official said.

After realising that his data had been compromised and funds siphoned off, the businessman approached the police on September 1.

"We have registered a case under sections 316(2) (criminal breach of trust), 318(4) (cheating) and 3(5) (common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with provisions of the Information Technology Act," the official said. PTI COR GK