Five members of a family of jewellers have been booked in Maharashtra`s Thane city for allegedly cheating a 41-year-old businessman of gold worth nearly Rs 1.4 crore, an official said on Friday, reported news agency PTI.

According to the complainant, who is also in the jewellery business, the accused persons “lured him by assuring that they would supply `A-one` quality gold in exchange for gold jewellery”, reported PTI.

“Under this pretext, they induced the complainant to part with gold jewellery weighing 1,216.38 grams, valued at nearly Rs 1.4 crore. After taking delivery, the accused neither gave him the promised gold nor made any payment,” the official added, quoting from the FIR, reported PTI.

The accused persons subsequently switched off their mobile phones, the complainant said.

A probe into the alleged cheating is underway, said the official from Thane Nagar police station.

Agro firm from Thane district duped of Rs 30 lakh by spice traders; case registered

In another case, the police in Maharashtra`s Thane district have registered a case against three persons from Tamil Nadu for allegedly cheating an agro firm of over Rs 30 lakh, an official has said, reported PTI.

In its police complaint, the company based in Shahad near Kalyan alleged that the accused persons, including the MD of a spices firm in Perundurai in Erode district of Tamil Nadu, had placed an order for turmeric in July-August.

“The consignment was supplied as agreed, but the accused paid only Rs 6 lakh and failed to clear the remaining amount of Rs 30.75 lakh despite repeated reminders,” the official said, citing the FIR registered at the Khadakpada police station, reported PTI.

When the complainant contacted them for the balance payment, the accused allegedly evaded responses and later went incommunicado, the police official said, adding that a probe is underway.

Mumbai man held for killing uncle in Thane district

Meanwhile, a 26-year-old man was arrested on Friday in neighbouring Thane district for allegedly killing his maternal uncle, police said, reported PTI.

Accused Ganesh Ramesh Pujari and victim Mariappa Raju Nair (40) are residents of Goregaon in Mumbai, they said, reported PTI.

Pujari first allegedly slammed his uncle Nair`s head against the steps of a hospital in Kalyan on Thursday night. He then lifted Nair and smashed him on the stairs, killing him, said police, reported PTI.

After being alerted, the local police took Pujari into custody from the spot, the official said, adding that the motive behind the murder was yet to be ascertained.

(With inputs from PTI)

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