Vasai l
Bolinj police in Virar have arrested a Pune-based man for allegedly cheating two residents of ₹12 lakh under the pretext of setting up an Animal Birth Control (ABC) centre. The accused, identified as Harshvardhan Chaudhary, was apprehended in Pune on Saturday and has been remanded to five days of police custody.
According to officials, multiple FIRs have also been filed against Chaudhary at Parksite police station in Ghatkopar and Khar police station in Mumbai.
Investigators revealed that in 2023, Chaudhary approached the complainants claiming that an investor had backed out from funding ₹45 lakh for the proposed ABC centre. Persuaded by his story, the victims transferred ₹12 lakh to a bank account registered in the name of the accused’s mother.
Later, the victims discovered that Chaudhary allegedly used the money to purchase a car. When confronted, he refused to return the funds and allegedly issued threats, prompting the victims to file a police complaint.
The investigation is ongoing, with police also examining if there are additional victims who may have been defrauded by Chaudhary.
