Gujarat: 'Con-cop' who duped 300 people arrested in Anand

Anand police caught a conman who had been extorting money, especially from hotel and transport owners, posing as a police sub inspector (PSI). Accused Vikas Sing Rajput, 25 was arrested on Friday based on a complaint received by Vasad police on Thursday from two hotel owners.

Owners of Hariom Dalbati Hotel and Kismat Kathiawadi Hotel approached Vasad police after the duo received calls from a 'PSI' demanding Rs 1,500 for complaints that he had "received" from consumers against them.

The conman duped transport owners claiming that their trucks had hit a cyclist. "The accused used to note down numbers of vehicle owners and contact them demanding money in the range of Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,500. He would promise the gullible that there would be no complaint against them once the money is transferred in his digital wallet," said the police official.

The accused has confessed to have extorted around Rs 3.5 lakh from nearly 300 victims, which include those from Surat, Vadodara, Ahmedabad, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi among others. "He has confessed that he started posing as PSI from October 2021 onwards. But in the last couple of months, he has duped several individuals," said the official.

Since the demanded amounts were less, the victims would easily transfer the money digitally only to realize later of being duped. "The victims so far had not registered any complaint. Mainly hotels and transport owners who pass through or have their assets on the highway stretch between Surat and Ahmedabad have been duped," cops added.