Fraud investments cost techie Rs 35 lakh

NASHIK: A Nigeria-based system analyst from the city was allegedly duped of Rs 35 lakhs where he had reportedly seen an investment opportunity two years ago.
Investor Eknath Nagre (37) of Niphad had been back home in 2013 after seven years in Nigeria when he got to know of a lucrative investment deal from a Pune-based friend. "They informed me about a Sai Day Star Multitrade Pvt Ltd, company involved in import, export, goat farming, farmhouse, real estate and onion cold storage businesses in Nashik and suggested me to get involved and invest.I met the directors of the company Vijay Nandu Wankhede, Seema Vijay Wankhede, Ajay Ashok Rane and Amol Prabhakar Baviskar in the company office on College Road," he said.
"The directors explained about the investments in various sectors and promised to double the invested amount in 25 months. They claimed that the company was registered with the government, and after I agreed to invest, I was shown the Le Bliss convenience hotel and resort under construction in Dapoli of Ratnagiri district," Nagre said.
He added that Vijay Wankhede claimed that the resort under construction was owned by the company and if he invested, it promised to give 25% or more returns on the invested amount.
Nagre said that he went back to Nigeria and made electronic transactions in instalments from February, 2013 till April 2014 in the name of the company in its various bank accounts to double the invested amount. But troubles began in form of bouncing cheques.
"A total amount of Rs 34, 67, 000 were invested in the company, and advance cheques and share certificates were given by the directors as a part of the security. However, when the dates neared and cheques were submitted in different banks from months of March this year, they bounced. Also, it was informed that some of the banks accounts were closed, while there was no sufficient balance in remaining accounts," Nagre said.
In desperation, he inquired with Wankhede, but did not receive proper response, and Wankhede also refused to meet him. When he checked the office, he found it closed, after which he approached the Sarkarwada police station. The police said that the case would be transferred to the economic offence wing after which investigations will proceed accordingly.
Incidentally, this is the fourth financial bungling case in the current year.
Recently, seven investors filed a police complaint for allegedly getting duped of Rs 40.45 lakh. The complainant Gorakh Popatrao Gurgude said that he had invested Rs 6.15 lakh in KFS Multi Solutions Private limited, owned by Somanth Khandu Nehe. He had promised a return of Rs 14.31 lakh over a period of 30 months. When it was time for Gurgude to collect the money, Nehe told him that there was no money and he would have to wait for a few more months.