2 traders held for cheating optician

MUMBAI:Two businessmen were arrested by the Charkop police on Thursday for cheating anoptician. Ramesh Patel (44) and Himesh Dave (27) are accused of forging NileshMehta's signatures and hypothecating his house documents with two differentbanks for Rs 80 lakhs.Patel and Dave have been remanded in policecustody till January 28. The police are now looking for their third accomplice,one Rajesh Patel. Three years ago, Mehta took a loan from a bank tobuy a flat in Charkop. According to the FIR, Mehta came in contact with Rajesh,who used to run a firm called Crystal Commercials. Ramesh waslooking for money to expand his business. In early 2008, he approached Mehta fora "friendly loan''. Mehta gave him copies of his house documents and asked himto inquire with other banks if he could get a loan against it. Later, Rameshinformed Mehta that he couldn't get a loan. In November 2008, Mehta receive anotice from the State Bank of Patiala. He learnt that his flat had beenhypothecated with the bank and a firm, Bharat Industrial Corporation, wasavailing a cash-credit facility of Rs 40 lakh against it.