Kalyan man arrested for duping Dongri jeweller using fake UPI app
The Dongri Police have arrested a 32-year-old habitual conman from Kalyan (East) who allegedly duped a jewellery store in Dongri, Mumbai, by using a fake online payment application. The arrest of the suspect, whose fraudulent activities also spanned across Thane and Navi Mumbai, has successfully led to the detection of seven similar cases registered across multiple police stations.
The accused, identified as Rahul Prakash Karpe, is a resident of Kalyan (East). He was tracked down and arrested by the Dongri Police Crime Detection Squad, which was led by Assistant Police Inspector Jadhav and PSI Vyavhare. The police team managed to apprehend Karpe following a detailed technical analysis and the receipt of specific intelligence inputs.
The police action stems from a criminal case registered at the Dongri Police Station on June 27 under Section 305 of the BNS. The complainant in the case was the owner of Lalchand Bhurmal Jewellers, a shop located in Dongri.
According to the police, Karpe entered Lalchand Bhurmal Jewellers posing as an ordinary customer. After browsing through the items on display, he selected a gold ring weighing 5.210 grams, which was valued at ₹82,000.
To pay for the purchase, Karpe handed over ₹42,000 in cash to the shop owner. He then claimed that he had transferred the remaining balance of ₹40,000 through a UPI transaction.
Using a fake payment application on his mobile phone, Karpe generated and showed a false transaction confirmation screen to the shop owner. While the jeweller was distracted and checking his accounts to verify if the ₹40,000 had been credited, Karpe allegedly picked up the gold ring from the counter and fled the premises.
Following his arrest, police interrogation and further investigation revealed that Karpe had targeted multiple jewellery shops using this modus operandi. His arrest has led to the detection of seven similar offences registered across various police stations in Mumbai, Thane, and Navi Mumbai.
