Raipur
Durg police arrested three persons, including a woman, on Sunday for allegedly defrauding a local businessman of ₹8.25 lakh by mortgaging fake gold jewellery.
The police seized 84.88 grams of counterfeit gold ornaments along with four mobile phones allegedly used in the commission of the crime.
The action follows a written complaint lodged at the City Kotwali police station on October 4 by Pawan Kumar Jain, 37, a resident of Bhoi Para, Durg. According to the complaint, a man and a woman approached the complainant at Saheli Arms in Shri Shivam Mall, Durg, on September 28 and September 30. The duo allegedly pledged fake gold jewellery weighing 84.88 grams as genuine gold and collected ₹8.25 lakh in cash before fleeing.
Following a preliminary inquiry, the City Kotwali police registered a case under Sections 318(4) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
A joint team comprising officials from the City Kotwali police station and the Anti-Crime and Cyber Unit (ACCU) tracked down and detained two suspects, Ramesh Kumar, 35, and Meenakshi Bagh, 39. During interrogation, both allegedly confessed to their involvement in the fraud.
Based on disclosures made by the duo during custodial questioning, the police identified and arrested a third suspect, Rajesh Agarwal, 45, who allegedly supplied the counterfeit gold ornaments.
The arrested persons have been identified as Ramesh Kumar, a resident of Shivanand Nagar, Raipur; Meenakshi Bagh, a resident of Kadambari Nagar, Durg; and Rajesh Agarwal, a resident of Kabir Nagar, Raipur.
All three accused were produced before a local court, which remanded them in judicial custody.
Durg police have advised citizens to thoroughly verify the purity and authenticity of gold and other precious ornaments before purchasing or accepting them as collateral, and to report suspicious financial transactions to the nearest police station immediately.
