Two from UP held for cheating people with fake gold coins

: Two inter-state fraudsters from Uttar Pradesh were on Monday arrested for allegedly cheating people with fake gold coins and siphoning off money, police said.

Acting on a tip, a police team apprehended the duo, who hail from Kannauj district of Uttar Pradesh and found that they palmed off fake gold coated coins by luring people and disappeared after collecting money.

Police seized Rs 9 lakh in cash, a copper idol of Lord Mahavir, which seems to be antique, weighing about 5 kg besides 380 copper coins and five gold coated coins from the possession of the accused, a release from Hyderabad Police said.

Earlier, one of the accused had allegedly cheated people by delivering fake gold idols in Kerala and Tamil Nadu states also, according to the release.

The two were nabbed while they were trying to sell a copper idol of Lord Mahavir as 'panchaloha' (of five metals) to a prospective customer for Rs 40 lakh, police added.