A cab driver in Bengaluru was arrested for duping a woman of ₹22 lakh and 960gm gold by posing as her friend. He overheard her personal details during a cab ride and exploited the information to gain her trust and commit the fraud. The police have recovered the stolen gold and issued a warning to the public about sharing personal information in public places.
Source: The News Minute
Last year, the police reported an incident involving a complainant who had booked a cab through a popular cab-aggregator application. The driver of the cab was identified as Kiran Kumar, and the ride was from Indiranagar to Banaswadi within the city. During the journey the passenger was engaged in a personal conversation with a friend over the phone, discussing her private matters and seeking advice. Unfortunately, Kumar overheard this conversation.
In November 2022, the situation took a concerning turn when the accused, Kiran Kumar, allegedly contacted the complainant once again. This time, he pretended to be her childhood friend and offered his help to resolve the issues she had discussed during their previous encounter. Surprisingly, the complainant accepted the offer of assistance, leading to an ongoing communication between the two via phone. The matter has since drawn attention from the authorities, and further investigation is underway to ascertain the nature and implications of their continued interaction.
Source: The Indian Express
According to the police, over a period of nine months, the accused managed to earn the complainant’s trust and manipulated her into providing financial assistance under the pretext of an emergency. Initially, the complainant transferred ₹22 lakh to the accused’s account as requested. However, things took a distressing turn when the accused began demanding more money from her. When the woman informed him that she couldn’t provide any more funds, the accused allegedly resorted to asking for her valuable possessions instead.
Regrettably, the woman felt pressured and handed over 960 grams of gold, with an estimated worth of around ₹60 lakh, when the accused personally came to collect it. It was at this moment that the woman recognized the accused as her former cab driver, linking him to the deceptive scheme. This incident has raised serious concerns about the safety and security of individuals using ride-hailing services, prompting authorities to investigate the matter further and bring the perpetrator to justice.
Source: ETV Bharat
DCP Bhimashankar Guled of the East division said that the accused deceived the woman, claiming to be her friend, and later threatened to make damaging allegations and disclose her personal information when confronted. The woman filed a complaint when the accused persistently demanded more money. The police arrested the accused and successfully recovered the pawned gold valuables. DCP Guled cautioned the public to avoid discussing personal information in public places to prevent similar incidents.
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