Mumbai: The Marine Drive Police have arrested a fraudster for duping a couple by promising them a ₹10 lakh loan under the ‘Chief Minister’s Relief Fund’ and cheating their nephew of ₹8.85 lakh by falsely assuring him of a job as a ticket checker (TC) on the Vande Bharat train. The arrested accused has been identified as Sameer Prakash Chundmunge, a resident of Chembur. Police said Chundmunge often roamed around Mantralaya and MLA Hostel in south Mumbai in search of potential victims.
According to investigators, Chundmunge befriended the Shelke couple from Abhyudaya Nagar, Kalachowki, nearly two years ago. He told them he could secure a loan of ₹10 lakh through the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. Calling them to the MLA Hostel canteen, he collected ₹50,000 from them as initial payment.
Later, he promised the Shelke couple’s nephew a job as a ticket checker on the Vande Bharat train. For this, he extracted ₹8.85 lakh, but neither arranged the loan nor provided the promised job. When the victims realised they had been cheated, they lodged a complaint at Marine Drive Police Station. Acting on the complaint, police registered a case of fraud and arrested Chundmunge. The Marine Drive police are investigating if he has duped more people using a similar modus operandi.
So far, police said that between 20 to 25 people have been cheated. The total fraud uncovered amounts to ₹8.82 lakh.
According to investigators, the fraud had been ongoing since April 2023. The accused allegedly lured victims with the promise of easy loans and railway jobs, collected money from them, and then disappeared.
Chundmunge was produced before the court and has been remanded to police custody till September 29 for further investigation.Police suspect more victims may come forward as the probe continues.
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