Conman duped 3 Maha MLAs with cabinet berth offer

Nagpur: Fraudster from Ahmedabad Niraj Singh Rathod, who was arrested by a team of Nagpur police on charges of trying to lure city MLA Vikas Kumbhare with a Maharashtra ministerial berth for ₹1.67 crore, has duped at least three other MLAs.The city police team bringing the accused to Nagpur has left Ahmedabad and will reach here on Thursday morning.Sources said Rathod, who posed as personal assistant of a national level BJP leader, told the police that he was in contact with four MLAs from Maharashtra and one each from Goa and Nagaland.It is learnt that three Maharashtra MLAs had already sent money to Rathod to secure a berth in the Maharashtra cabinet. He had asked to transfer the money to a mobile shop owner in his neighbourhood. He had called Nagpur MLA Vikas Kumbhare, Kamptee MLA Tekchand Savarkar, Hingoli’s Tanaji Mutkule, Badnapur’s Narayan Kuche, Goa MLA Pravin Arlekar and Nagaland’s Bashangmongba Chang offering them to secure ministerial positions in exchange of money. Kumbhare, however, became suspicious about Rathod’s offer and complained to the police. No other MLAs reported to the police.