Two held for duping senior citizen on pretext of higher returns on expired insurance polices

A man and his female associate were arrested for allegedly duping a senior citizen of Rs 80 thousand on the pretext 0f higher returns on expired and discontinued insurance policies, police said today.

The accused identified as Vishal Aggarwal, a resident of Ghaziabad and his associate Pooja, (25), Noida resident, were arrested from Ghaziabad last week, said Chinmoy Biswal, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (south east) said.

A complaint was filed by a 92-year-old man that on June 26, he received a call from Pooja who told him that in 2012 he had purchased an insurance policy from HDFC and paid only one instalment.

She said that the policy was still active and if he deposits Rs 80,000 to HDFC account he will be given Rs 14 lakh as the policy will mature once the amount is paid, Biswal said.

Trusting her version, the complainant paid the said amount, he said.

Subsequently, Pooja and her male associate who pretended to be an executive of the insurance company demanded Rs 2,40,000 from the victim, Biswal added.

Suspecting foul play, the man approached the police.

During investigation, the bank account in which the amount of the senior citizen was transferred was scrutinised. The address given in the concerned bank of Ghaziabad was found to be false as the accused was not a resident of that address, the DCP said.

The said account was opened only on April 12 and the address mentioned in the bank records was only used for the purpose of opening the account, police said.

Police procured Aggarwal's photo from the Account Opening Form and conducted verification at several addresses in Ghaziabad's Bhopura area, the officer said, adding that a street vendor in Bhopura identified the photo.

Subsequently, on July 13, the accused Vishal Aggarwal was arrested from DLF Colony in Ghaziabad's Bhopura, he added.

Aggarwal disclosed names of his other associates, including Pooja, Sumit Rana and Bilal.

The accused said that Sumit and Bilal used to procure data of senior citizens and others who had lapsed and expired insurance policies.