Man contacts women on Net, cheats them

Sandeep Rai has been luring women of Mumbai by posing as a businessman.

The Samata Nagar police are on the lookout for a man who targets and cheats widows and divorcees. According to the police, a 41-year old man who calls himself Sandeep Rai has been luring women by posing as a businessman and convincing them into parting with lakhs of rupees.

Police sources said that Rai used to befriend widows and divorcees through various Internet sites that promote friendship. 'He would claim that he was a non-resident Indian (NRI) and a big dealer in leather goods in South Africa,' said assistant police inspector Sudhir Sankhe, who along with sub-inspector Ravi Adhane, is investigating the case.

Rai would first get friendly with women by chatting with them and then he would meet them. The police said that he identified himself as a divorcee and approached women saying he was in need of a friend.

During one such chat, he became friendly with Sudha (name changed), a 45-year-old widow from Kandivali (E), around three months ago. 'He told her he knows many ministers in the state and in Delhi,' said an officer. As he gained her confidence, she told him about a relative of hers whose son was seeking admission in a medical college but had not scored enough marks.

'He told them that he would contact ministers and get the boy admitted to a college in Navi Mumbai for which he required ₹8 lakh for donation. The family was surprised, as medical seats are available for ₹20 lakh or more. But he convinced them,' explained the officer.

He initially collected ₹5 lakh. When the family contacted him after a few days, he asked them to keep the remaining money ready, saying the admission was done. He then prepared a letter with the college's letterhead and faxed it to the family.

The family got suspicious on seeing the letter, but they did not question him as they did not want to alert him. Instead, they asked him to collect the amount, revealed the official. However, Rai was smart and did not go back to them. Instead, he disappeared.

The family then registered a case with Samata Nagar police, which has launched a hunt for Rai. Officials went to his rented flat at Mira Road, but found that he had left. Cops also went to Thane, Lonavala and Pune after they got some information but did not find him there either.