Brother-in-law dupes man of Rs23.5 lakh at Haibowal

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, January 17

A man was duped of Rs 23.5 lakh by his brother-in-law (brother of his wife) on the pretext of sending him abroad. The suspects have been identified as Abhishek Sood, owner of a restaurant in Australia, Sourav Sood and his wife Harshapuri, both residents of New Maya Nagar. The police have served a notice on the suspects.

The complainant, Ashu Sood, a resident of Ram Nagar, Haibowal, told the police that his brother-in-law and his wife had been living in Australia since 2007 while his younger brother-in-law Sourav and his wife Harsha lived at Haibowal. They also ran a travel business.

The suspects had promised to arrange a visa of Australia for him and his friend and he had paid Rs 23.5 lakh to them for the purpose. They had also given their original passports and other documents to the suspects, said Ashu.

He said the suspects also transferred the property of his friend, Sanjiv, on their name as he did not have money to pay them. Since the value of the property was Rs 34 lakh, the suspects returned Rs 24 lakh to Sanjiv, but later refused to return Rs 10 lakh when they failed to arrange a visa for him.

The ADCP, Crime, investigated the matter and recommended registration of an FIR against the suspects. The Commissioner of Police, Dr Sukhchain Singh Gill, ordered for the registration of a fraud case against the suspects.

Aussie visa

The suspects had promised to arrange a visa of Australia for him and his friend and he had paid Rs 23.5 lakh to them for the purpose. They had also given their original passports and other documents to the suspects, said the complainant.