A Jadavpur resident was arrested on Thursday for allegedly duping a resident of Barasat by posing as a woman who wanted to sell a parcel of land.
Anindyo Chakraborty would allegedly dress like a woman before meeting victims so no one could recognise him, police said. He was arrested after Bikash Chandra Mondal, from Barasat, who paid him Rs 50,000 as advance towards booking a plot, realised he had been duped and lodged a police complaint.
Chakraborty had posted several advertisements about plots on sale in Madhyamgram, a senior officer of the Bidhannagar commissionerate said.
Mondal had called the phone number listed in the advertisement and a woman had answered the call. “The woman had told Mondal to visit CJ Block in Salt Lake,” the officer said.
Mondal met Chakraborty and was offered a piece of land in Madhyamgram at a rate much lower than the market price. Chakraborty, dressed as a woman, told Mondal he was willing to sell the land for cheap because he was in need of money, the officer said.
Chakraborty told Mondal he was supposed to meet other buyers and asked for an advance of Rs 50,000 as “booking amount”, the officer said.
“The interaction took place on a pavement in CJ Block near a tea stall. Mondal paid the money and the two fixed up a date for viewing the land and completing other formalities,” the officer added.
However, when Mondal called the number the next day it was switched off. He tried several times over the next few days. He then lodged a complaint with Bidhannagar East police station.
The police kept calling the number Mondal had given them and one day it was answered.
“An officer posed as an interested buyer. The woman told him to visit CJ Block and asked for an advance amount, like in Mondal’s instance,” said the officer.
The officer met the woman while other policemen and Mondal were waiting nearby. Mondal identified Chakraborty and officers arrested him.
Chakraborty was produced before a Salt Lake Court that sent him to police remand for four days.
Temple theft
A group of armed men attacked two civic volunteers guarding a temple and fled with donation boxes and other items in North Dinajpur on Wednesday night.
One of the injured volunteers was admitted to hospital, police said.
On Thursday, residents held protests demanding the arrest of the alleged attackers.
