Published On : Thu, Feb 2nd, 2023

Yavatmal-based doctor duped of Rs 1.18 crore by Nagpur crook

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The accused promised the victim of high returns on investment in running a pharmacy at Columbia Hospital & Research Centre in Nagpur

Nagpur: Dhantoli on Wednesday booked a middle-aged man of Nagpur for allegedly defrauding a Yavatmal-based doctor of over Rs 1.18 crore by promising high returns on investment in running a pharmacy at Columbia Hospital & Research Centre in Nagpur city.

Identified as Vikas Shyamsunder Bora (45), the accused is a resident of Santaji Society, Balpande Layout, Narendra Nagar. The victim, Dr Sanjeev Lakhanlal Joshi (58), a resident of Joshi Bal Rugnalaya, Datey College Road, Yavatmal, stated in his complaint that he came in contact with the accused Vikas Bora through his friend Sujit Gulalkari. Bora told him that his friends Dr Praveen Gantawar and Sharad Lutey were providing adequate space at Dhantoli-based Columbia Hospital & Research Centre for running a pharmacy for which he had signed a refundable agreement with them.

After gaining Joshi’s confidence, Bora allured him to invest Rs 1.50 crore in the project by promising him a monthly profit of Rs 3 lakh. The accused also introduced Joshi to Gantawar and Lutey at Columbia Hospital & Research Centre. At that time, Gantawar and Lutely told him that they signed an agreement with Bora as they had no experience in running a pharmacy. Between June 2020 and December 5, 2022, Joshi transferred Rs 1.50 crore to the bank account of accused Bora through RTGS. After some days, Bora again took Rs 7.35 lakh from Joshi’s son saying that there was shortage of funds in setting up the pharmacy.

However, when Joshi tried to contact Bora, the latter started avoiding him and his son. Realising that he and his son were being cheated by Bora, Joshi insisted the accused Bora to return the invested money. Bora paid Rs 38.80 lakh to him and his son but did not return them the remaining Rs 1.18 crore.

On the basis of the victim’s complaint, police registered a case under Sections 420, 406 and 417 of the Indian Penal Code against Bora. Further investigations are underway.