Nigerian among four convicted by Thane court for duping businessman of Rs 20.77 lakhs

Thane: Four persons including a Nigerian national who were found guilty of cheating a businessman to the tune of Rs 20.77 lakh were sentenced to jail by a court in Thane district. FCJM PD Chavan in her recent order directed that the Nigerian be deported immediately after he serves the jail term. [caption id=“attachment_3415160” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. AFP[/caption] The court also stated in its order that trial be continued against the six alleged absconding accused who were also involved in the racket once they are traced and arrested. The magistrate in her order sentenced two of the accused, Fazal Ahmed Shrif Sayyed, 28 a resident of Kamothe of Navi Mumbai and the Nigerian National Ujama Iliyaz Monede, 24 of Koparkhairne, to one year’s imprisonment and a fine of Rs 10,000 each. Two other accused Toufik Husainmiya Khade, 47 from Panvel, and Yogeshkumar Patil, 24 from Nerul were sentenced to six months imprisonment and a fine of Rs 5,000 each. They were tried for offences falling under Section 420 rw 34 of the IPC. Prosecutor Jaishree Korde told the court that the accused had cheated the complainant Anil Mathur, a businessman to the tune of Rs 20.77 lakhs by promising him good returns by sale of Potjiya seeds which were used in the US for medicinal purpose and were costly there. The prosecutor told the court that one of the absconding accused Koshiya Kole developed a friendship with the victim over Facebook and informed him about the demand for the seeds which were costing $2,500 to $3,000 for 400 grammes in India while it was being purchased for $5,500 to $6,000. She promised that the difference in the rates could be distributed among them once the goods are sold. She posed as if she was representing the Health and Wealth company in the US. Initially, she guided him on how to communicate with the company and start the business with a sample quantity. She also told him as to from where he could get the seeds in India. One of the representatives meanwhile met him at a hotel here and checked the samples and gave order for further consignment. Also, some sample quantity of the seeds were procured from the victim and later on he was asked to get the bigger consignment by making payment to locals, on the numbers given by her. Based on further orders, the victim placed orders with the different agencies and made the payments as directed by Koshiya. However, after making payments he did not receive the consignments. Meanwhile, one of the representatives landed in Mumbai and called him up and informed him that he was stuck in customs and sought rescue by asking money for assistance. The victim who already had some doubts, refused to oblige. Later, when he followed up for the consignment and delivery, and called up traders and agents there was no response, after which he realised that he had been cheated. Based on courier receipts and use of investigation techniques, police arrested the four accused who were convicted recently. Hunt is on for other accused by Nayanagar police from Thane district rural.