Nagpur: Man held for duping 73-year-old of Rs 3.5 lakh with sham treatment in Shantinagar

A case has come to light in Nagpur's Shantinagar area in which a 73-year-old man was cheated of Rs 3.50 lakh on the pretext of treatment. It is alleged that two men won the elderly man's trust by saying he could be treated by a doctor from Haridwar, and then took lakhs of rupees from him in the name of treatment. Nagpur Crime Branch Unit-3 arrested one accused within about two hours of the incident. The second accused is currently absconding.

Police have seized goods worth a total of Rs 4.50 lakh, including cash and the two-wheeler used in the crime.

According to police, Gopal Nimje, 73, who lives in Shantinagar, has diabetes and suffers from swelling in both legs. It is alleged that the two accused exploited this ailment to target him.

On October 26, the accused struck up a conversation with the elderly man at Rani Durgavati Chowk. One of them gave his name as Arun. He claimed that his father had suffered from a similar illness and recovered after being treated by a doctor from Haridwar. Having won the man's trust in this way, the accused took his address and mobile number.

The next morning, one of the accused phoned the elderly man and, posing as the doctor, reached his house. The two then pretended to treat his legs. They said 100 units would be needed to drain the pus accumulated in the legs, at Rs 3,500 per unit, a demand of Rs 3.50 lakh in all. The elderly man handed over the cash kept at home, and the two fled with the money.

The treatment brought no benefit, and the accused's mobile numbers began showing as switched off. Gopal Nimje then realised he had been cheated. He lodged a complaint at Shantinagar police station.

During the investigation, Crime Branch Unit-3 went through CCTV footage from the spot and surrounding areas. Acting on a tip-off, police arrested Mohammad Babalu Mohammad Salim, 40, a resident of Bundi village in Rajasthan.

According to police, the accused has confessed that he committed the fraud along with his 45-year-old associate, Mohammad Salam Nuruddin. The arrested accused has been handed over to Shantinagar police for further action. The search for the absconding accused continues.