Mumbai: ‘Fake’ cop among two booked for fraud

The complainant spoke to Shinde who allegedly assured him that he could get him a job as a policeman if he was willing to shell out Rs 3.5 lakh. He told the complainant that he would need to pay an initial sum of Rs 50,000 and pay the rest once the job was done. Shinde called the complainant near Indraprasth market in Borivali and accepted the payment, according to the police. Later, Shinde made further demands for money.

When the recruitment list came out, and the complainant asked Shinde about the job, the latter told him he would introduce him to a man named Amar Bamnikar, a policeman who would help clear him for the job. The complainant met Bamnikar who told him to forget whatever had happened in the past and sought more money. He promised to return the money if the work was not done. Over a period of time, the complainant ended up paying Rs 3.65 lakh to the two. Eventually, when he was not elected, and demanded his money back, Bamnikar started avoiding him. When the complainant went to the Karad police station to complain against the accused, the officer there spoke to Bamnikar.

Bamnikar allegedly claimed he was attached to the Mumbai Police and was not scared of any complaint. Eventually, as the exchange of money took place in the Borivali jurisdiction, the complainant was sent to Borivali police station where a case of cheating was registered on Wednesday. DCP (Zone 11) Vikram Deshmande said, “An FIR has been registered in the matter and we are on the lookout for the accused.”