Naharlagun: The police here have arrested a conman identified as Ratan Nath who used to dupe people by impersonating the managing directors of different financial firms.
Nath (65), who managed to dupe around 5 persons from Arunachal Pradesh of Rs 19 lakh was arrested by the police from Guwahati in Assam on November 15.
Nath was on the run for the last eight months and was targeting people by assuring financial and technical support in setting up small-scale factories.
Capital superintendent of police Jimmy Chiram said Nath was using different names, creating fake IDs and company names through a bogus trading license.
“A complaint was initially registered at the Naharlagun police station in March against one Mahesh Sharma, the managing director of Omega Associates for cheating people of money. The police team that took forward the investigation under Sections 420/120-B of the IPC later learned that Mahesh Sharma did not exist and the said person was using the name and a fake address to obtain a bank account in the name of a finance firm,” the SP said.
Chiram said the police after several months of electronic and human surveillance again came to know that the same man was operating by another name (Mrinal Baruah) and had set up a new finance company by the name of Star Marketing Services in Guwahati.
“The police then planted a decoy customer at the registered office and arrested the man who later identified himself as Ratan Nath,” the SP said while adding that the accused used five different names to cheat people and was also wanted in Nagaland and Assam.
Chiram said Nath also hired employees for his fake company by circulating advertisements through a leading local newspaper.
“Ignorant youths become the victims, who after appointment gathered customers for Nath’s fake company,” he said.
Modus Operandi
According to the police Nath is a graduate from ADP College, Dhemaji (Assam) and started identity fraud, impersonation, forgery, etc., in 2000.
His fraudulent business model involved dishonest promises to customers to facilitate the establishment of water bottling, paper manufacturing, tiles, ceramics manufacturing plants, etc.
He also proposed to provide easy finance through hassle-free loans for such establishments.
Appeal
Chiram, while lauding the efforts of the Naharlagun police team led by Inspector Minli Geyi has at the same time appealed to the people to identify the accused and approach the nearest police station if anyone has been his victim.
He also urged people to be prudent with their money and be cautious while giving huge amounts of money to strangers.
The police team that managed to nab the conman also consisted of sub-inspector S K Jha and constables Kanto Samyor and Sanu Raj.
Also read: Man accused of misappropriating funds arrested from Tripura
