Pune Businessman Loses Rs 3.79 Crore in International Raw Material Supply Scam

Accused Bhupendra Singh alias Sanjay Kumar Raghav

Pune:

A businessman from Pune fell victim to a sophisticated scam, losing Rs 3.79 crore to a father and son who falsely promised to supply raw materials from Dubai for his copper vessel manufacturing business.

According to the FIR filed by Sudhir Barate, owner of a copper vessel manufacturing facility in Ravivar Peth, the perpetrators offered to provide raw materials for his business operations directly from Dubai.

Barate typically sourced his necessary raw materials from suppliers in Mumbai. However, in this instance, he became acquainted with Bhupendra Singh (also known as Sanjay Kumar Raghav) and his son Pranvir Singh, who managed to gain Barate's confidence by assuring him they could procure superior raw materials for his business directly from Dubai.

The duo convinced Barate that they maintained an office in Dubai. They subsequently invited him to Dubai and then took him to Tanzania, where they displayed 75 tonnes of scrap material, claiming it would be exported to India. Through this elaborate deception, they extracted a total sum of Rs 3,79,77,375 from the businessman.

When the promised raw materials failed to arrive, Barate filed a complaint with the Pune Police authorities.

Following the investigation, police apprehended Bhupendra Singh in Kolkata. He has been remanded to police custody until November 29.