Couple arrested for duping Merchant Navy officer's wife

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, March 26

The Haibowal police have nabbed a couple, who along with their son, had duped the wife of a Merchant Navy Captain of Rs 1 crore in cash and gold and diamond ornaments worth Rs 40 lakh in December last year.

The suspects have been identified as Pawan Kumar Sharma and Kiran Bala, residents of Raghuvir Park, Haibowal.

Inspector Bittan Kumar, Station House Officer (SHO), Haibowal police station, said in December last year, Merchant Navy Captain Gautam Chopra had lodged a police complaint that their driver Bhavya Sharma, alias Bhanu, had taken Rs 1 crore in cash and gold and diamond ornaments worth Rs 40 lakh fraudulently from his wife. The police had initially registered a case against him and he was also arrested in January this year. However, no recovery of money and gold was made from him.

During questioning, Bhanu had admitted that his father Pawan, mother Kiran and brother Paras were also involved in the fraud. Later, the police booked them also in the fraud case, the SHO said.

He revealed that on March 25, Pawan was arrested and Rs 1.5 lakh cash was recovered from him. On March 26, Kiran Bala was also arrested and gold ornaments worth Rs 1 lakh were recovered from her.

Now, the police remand of the accused would be sought so that the remaining cash and ornaments could be recovered from the accused. Raids were also being conducted to nab Paras, Bittan said.

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