The crime detection unit attached to the Kashigaon police have arrested a notorious cheat who hired cars from online car rental portals like Zoom app and conned potential buyers by creating an impression that the vehicle was owned by him which he intended to sell.

According to the police, the accused who has been identified as-Mustafa Rashid Khan (32) is a real estate agent who doubled up as a dealer of second-hand cars. He had recently cheated two potential buyers to the tune of Rs.6 lakh by showing them a same Maruti Ertiga car which he had hired for two days through a free car rental app to book self-drive cars. After receiving the complaint, the crime detection unit led by senior police inspector- Rahul Kumar Patil under the supervision of DCP (Zone I)- Prakash Gaikwad started investigations. On the virtue of electronic surveillance, the police apprehended Khan from Naigaon.

Investigations revealed that Khan was a notorious cheat having cases registered against him at police stations including-Naya Nagar, Kasarwadavli and Kashimira. The accused would establish contact with potential buyers who search used vehicles which are listed for sale on websites. He would then send photographs of the car and strike a deal. However, after accepting the money, he would disappear.

Notably, he would return the car to its original owner after duping his targets. Meanwhile an offence under sections 318(4) (cheating and dishonestly inducing the delivery of property) and 316(2) (criminal breach of trust) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) has been registered at the Kashigaon police station against the accused who has been remanded to custody.

Not ruling out the possibility of Khan’s involvement in more such crimes, police sub inspector-Abhijeet Lande is conducting further investigations in the case.