Case against Dubai-based man for duping Navi Mumbai businesswoman of Rs 43 lakh

Thane (PTI): The Navi Mumbai police have registered a case against a Dubai-based individual for allegedly duping a local businesswoman of Rs 43.41 lakh under the pretext of lucrative business investments, police said here Sunday.

The 44-year-old woman, engaged in the e-commerce business and residing in the Old Panvel area of Navi Mumbai, saw an advertisement on Instagram in 2023 for a dealership in prayer mats and garments.

After contacting the listed WhatsApp number, she began communicating with a man who claimed to be based in Dubai.

Over several months, the man won her trust and asked her to invest additionally in rental properties for bachelors, promising an annual profit of Rs 1.20 lakh per house, and purchasing cheap laptops from the US for resale with a 15 per cent profit margin, a police official said.

Between June 21, 2023, and February 5, 2024, the victim transferred Rs 43,41,350 to different accounts using her own funds and those of her father, husband and sister, he said.

Despite multiple follow-ups, the accused failed to provide any returns or refund the principal amount, the official said.

The victim later approached the police, who registered a case on January 30 against the man on charges of cheating, he said.