The city police used Facebook to trap a chartered accountant who had gone missing with his employers Rs 20,000.A fake profile was created in the name of a woman and the 23-year-old was lured to come to Lower Parel area where he was arrested on Saturday.
Cops pose as girl to honey trap thief
Use Facebook To Lure Him Out Of Hiding
S Ahmed Ali TNN
Mumbai: When an accountant went underground with his employers money,the police knew theyd have to think out of the box to lure the thief out of hiding.Having learnt from reliable sources that the accused,Vijay Choudhary,was very much active on Facebook and had a soft spot for women,the cops set up a honey trap and caught the bachelor when he turned up to meet a female friend.
The case dates back to December last year when Choudhary,who used to work as an accountant in an electronics shop in Kalbadevi,was asked by his employer to deposit Rs 20,000 in Bank of Indias Opera House branch in south Mumbai.
Tejas Souda,who owns Connection and More,asked another staffer,Raees Khan,to drop Choudhary at the bank.While Khan returned to the shop after half-an-hour,Choudhary did not turn up even after two hours.Souda checked with the bank and learnt that Choudhary had not deposited the money.He tried calling Choudhary on his cellphone,but it was switched off, said an investigating officer.
Souda even sent an employee to Choudharys house,but he was not there.After waiting for two days,Souda approached the V P Road police and lodged a complaint.Sleuths initially thought that Choudhary was kidnapped for money,but CCTV footage obtained from the bank showed the accountant loitering on the premises for about 15 minutes and then leaving alone without depositing the cash.
With Choudhary having switched off his phone soon after committing the crime,cops were finding it difficult to trace him.We looked for him everywhere,but he was untraceable, said another investigating officer.During the course of investigations,we learnt that Choudhary was active on Facebook and was befriending women.
Realizing that the social networking site could help them nab Choudhary,cops decided to log in to Facebook.Posing as a woman,the sleuths created a profile in the name of one Sharmee.We studied Choudharys profile and then sent him a friend request,which he promptly accepted, said the investigating officer.In a matter of days,Choudhary fell for Sharmee and gave out his cellphone number,which the cops traced to Nagpur.
The cops continued to pose as Sharmee and stayed in contact with Choudhary.After gaining his trust,they asked him come to Mumbai so that the two could meet.We told him to meet us in Lower Parel, said the officer.
Cops patiently laid in wait at the meeting point and nabbed an unsuspecting Choudhary when he arrived to meet Sharmee on Saturday.
ENSNARING THE CROOK
1
In December 2012,Tejas Souda,owner of an electronics shop in Kalbadevi,asks his accountant,Vijay Choudhary,to deposit Rs 20,000 in bank
2
Souda asks another staffer,Raees Khan,to drop Choudhary at the bank
3
While Khan returns to the shop after nearly 30 minutes,Choudhary never comes back
4
Souda tries calling Choudhary on his mobile,but it is switched off
5
After unsuccessfully looking for Choudhary,Souda lodges a police complaint after two days
6
Cops go through CCTV footage from the bank and find Choudhary leaving without depositing the cash
7
Sleuths then learn that Choudhary,a bachelor,is active on Facebook and has been befriending women
8
Posing as a woman,Sharmee,cops send a Facebook friend request to Choudhary,who promptly accepts it
9
A few days later,Sharmee asks Choudhary for his phone number,which is traced to Nagpur
10
Sharmee asks Choudhary to meet her in Lower Parel.The accountant walks straight into the cops trap and is arrested when he arrives
Use Facebook To Lure Him Out Of Hiding
S Ahmed Ali TNN
Mumbai: When an accountant went underground with his employers money,the police knew theyd have to think out of the box to lure the thief out of hiding.Having learnt from reliable sources that the accused,Vijay Choudhary,was very much active on Facebook and had a soft spot for women,the cops set up a honey trap and caught the bachelor when he turned up to meet a female friend.
The case dates back to December last year when Choudhary,who used to work as an accountant in an electronics shop in Kalbadevi,was asked by his employer to deposit Rs 20,000 in Bank of Indias Opera House branch in south Mumbai.
Tejas Souda,who owns Connection and More,asked another staffer,Raees Khan,to drop Choudhary at the bank.While Khan returned to the shop after half-an-hour,Choudhary did not turn up even after two hours.Souda checked with the bank and learnt that Choudhary had not deposited the money.He tried calling Choudhary on his cellphone,but it was switched off, said an investigating officer.
Souda even sent an employee to Choudharys house,but he was not there.After waiting for two days,Souda approached the V P Road police and lodged a complaint.Sleuths initially thought that Choudhary was kidnapped for money,but CCTV footage obtained from the bank showed the accountant loitering on the premises for about 15 minutes and then leaving alone without depositing the cash.
With Choudhary having switched off his phone soon after committing the crime,cops were finding it difficult to trace him.We looked for him everywhere,but he was untraceable, said another investigating officer.During the course of investigations,we learnt that Choudhary was active on Facebook and was befriending women.
Realizing that the social networking site could help them nab Choudhary,cops decided to log in to Facebook.Posing as a woman,the sleuths created a profile in the name of one Sharmee.We studied Choudharys profile and then sent him a friend request,which he promptly accepted, said the investigating officer.In a matter of days,Choudhary fell for Sharmee and gave out his cellphone number,which the cops traced to Nagpur.
The cops continued to pose as Sharmee and stayed in contact with Choudhary.After gaining his trust,they asked him come to Mumbai so that the two could meet.We told him to meet us in Lower Parel, said the officer.
Cops patiently laid in wait at the meeting point and nabbed an unsuspecting Choudhary when he arrived to meet Sharmee on Saturday.
ENSNARING THE CROOK
1
In December 2012,Tejas Souda,owner of an electronics shop in Kalbadevi,asks his accountant,Vijay Choudhary,to deposit Rs 20,000 in bank
2
Souda asks another staffer,Raees Khan,to drop Choudhary at the bank
3
While Khan returns to the shop after nearly 30 minutes,Choudhary never comes back
4
Souda tries calling Choudhary on his mobile,but it is switched off
5
After unsuccessfully looking for Choudhary,Souda lodges a police complaint after two days
6
Cops go through CCTV footage from the bank and find Choudhary leaving without depositing the cash
7
Sleuths then learn that Choudhary,a bachelor,is active on Facebook and has been befriending women
8
Posing as a woman,Sharmee,cops send a Facebook friend request to Choudhary,who promptly accepts it
9
A few days later,Sharmee asks Choudhary for his phone number,which is traced to Nagpur
10
Sharmee asks Choudhary to meet her in Lower Parel.The accountant walks straight into the cops trap and is arrested when he arrives
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