Duped, victim manages to nab conman after 20 days

A Punjab MP’s driver was cheated of Rs 32,000 by three youths at State Bank of India’s Green Park branch on January 7. Since then Raju kept visiting the bank hoping the accused may target another person.

His untiring efforts bore fruits when the cheats visited the bank again on Monday, and one of them was apprehended.

Raju, who hails from Himachal Pradesh’s Kangra district, works as a driver with Hari Kishan Dua and lives at Green Park block E. Police said the 40-year-old was cheated when he went to submit Rs 32,000 in one of his relatives’ bank account.

Raju was standing at a counter when a youth approached him saying he had stolen Rs 1 lakh from his employer and sought Raju’s help for submitting the money in an account.

The youth said he wanted to send the money to Bihar’s Motihari district, but did not have any bank account.

“The complainant claimed that he told the youth that he was not aware of the bank’s working and had to rush back to work,” a police offer said.

However, two others at the bank told Raju that they must help the youth and took him outside the bank. One of them told the youth that they would report the theft to police if he does not pay both of them and Raju Rs 5,000 each.

The first youth then asked Raju to pay Rs 5,000 to one of them, taking which he immediately left the spot.

Later, the other man advised Raju to take a bunch of Rs 500 notes from the youth by giving him rest of his Rs 27,000, to which he agreed. Then they left after taking money from the youth. However, back home, Raju realised that the notes with him were fake.

Long vigil

On being cheated, Raju started visiting the bank daily with a hope that the cheats would visit again. On Monday, when he reached the bank at 9.30 am, he saw them again.
He raised an alarm at which Vikas of Motihari district was apprehended. He was handed over to police and a case of theft and cheating was lodged with Safdarjung Enclave police station.

“We have interrogated Vikas and gathered crucial leads which would help us arrest his accomplices,” the official added.