Ahmedabad: A 21-year-old, studying MBA at a private university, was allegedly swindled out of Rs 43.42 lakh by a fellow classmate and his cousin in an import-export scam spanning four years.
The youth, a resident of New Ranip, filed a complaint with the Sabarmati police in this regard on Tuesday.
He told police that he gained admission to a BBA course in 2021 where he met Charan (name changed), a fellow student who lived in Sargasan in Gandhinagar.
Charan introduced the youth to his cousin, Bhavya (name changed), claiming she ran a thriving import-export business in Jamnagar. The hook was set when Charan told the youth that Bhavya’s container had been seized, requiring Rs 1 lakh for its release. The youth, believing his classmate, readily provided the funds in Dec 2021.
This initial “investment” opened the floodgates. The two cousins repeatedly solicited more money from the youth, spinning tales of lucrative returns on each container. Over four years, the duo convinced him to invest in various non-existent businesses. In total, Patel poured Rs 43.42 lakh into their schemes.
Finally realizing he had been duped, Patel approached the Sabarmati police, filing a complaint of breach of trust, cheating, and abetment under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS)..