Gang held for duping man with fake Europe tour offer after car purchase in Kochi

Police on Thursday arrested a gang that allegedly cheated a man by claiming he had won bumper prizes and special offers linked to a recent car purchase, officials said. Those arrested include Delhi natives Mohammed Saad Saifi (23), Gagan Khurana (22), Rahul Kumar (28), Ravi Prajapati (25); Uttar Pradesh natives Shitij Sengar (25), Ayush Manthyan (26), Harsh Vardhan Singh Chauhan (26); and West Bengal native Asif Jamal (34). According to police, the gang contacted the 61-year-old complainant from Kadungalloor by phone and offered a special discounted family tour package to Europe along with gift vouchers, claiming it was a promotional benefit tied to his recent car purchase. The accused allegedly demanded Rs 6.5 lakh for the ''bumper offer'' and persuaded the victim to pay Rs 3 lakh in advance, promising additional discounts for early payment. Acting on these assurances, the complainant transferred Rs 1.5 lakh through UPI and bank transactions. A meeting in connection with the offer was reportedly held on Tuesday at a luxury hotel in Nedumbassery, attended by around 10 people, including the arrested accused, police said. When the promised benefits were not provided, the victim approached the police. A case was registered earlier in the morning, and the accused were tracked down from Edathala. Nedumbassery police said the gang is suspected to be part of an inter-state fraud network, and a probe is underway to ascertain how they obtained details of the complainant's car purchase. The arrested individuals were produced before a court and remanded to custody, officials added.