Woman poses as bank official, dupes iron-steel market committee of over Rs 54 crore in Navi Mumbai

Thane: The Navi Mumbai police have registered a case against a woman who allegedly posed as an official of a nationalised bank and duped the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Iron & Steel Market Committee of more than Rs 54 crore, an official said on Tuesday.

As per the complaint lodged by an official of the Kalamboli-based committee, a woman approached members and office-bearers posing as a manager of a nationalised bank in Panvel in June 2022.

She gained their trust and lured them to invest the committee’s funds in fixed deposits, promising them a high interest rate after submitting a quotation with fake documents, the official said.

The members and office-bearers invested Rs 54.28 crore, and the accused woman issued fake and fabricated receipts for the same, he said.

When the committee sought a refund and interest once the term of the deposits ended, she gave them evasive replies and failed to return the sum, the official said.

The accused also furnished a fake letter on May 24, 2024, allegedly issued by the bank’s treasury and investment department seeking more time to return the money and interest amount, he said.

The police on Monday registered a case under sections 420 (cheating), 465 (forgery) and other relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code, the official said, adding that investigations are under way.