Advocate couple cheated of Rs 26 lakh by friends

An advocate couple has been allegedly cheated of Rs 26 lakh by their three friends, one of whom is an NRI, on the promise of getting their daughter a seat in a medical college, police said.
The friends of the couple assured them that they would easily get the seat with the help of the London-based NRI, police said, adding that the NRI's wife also contacted them through cellphone and asked them to act as per her husband's instructions.
Believing them the couple initially paid them Rs six lakh on May 19 which they deposited in a bank. They were later told the amount had been transferred to the NRI's account in London and were shown a 'receipt' from that bank.

The couple were then asked to pay an additional Rs 20 lakh so that sufficient funds would be available in the NRI account to help them get the seat. They did so on June 3 and were assured their daughter would get the seat the next day.
However, nothing materialised and the couple tried in vain to contact them on cellphone. Enquiries with the bank revealed one of their friends had withdrawn Rs 8.80 lakh, police said.
The couple immediately lodged a complaint with police and the balance amount of Rs 11.20 lakh was frozen, they said, adding investigations are going on.