JEYPORE: After a two-year search, Borrigumma police have arrested the kingpin of a racket that had duped locals by luring them with discounts for home appliances. The mastermind of the gang, A Tajuthin who is 64-year-old, was arrested from Chhattisgarh after Koraput SP MK Bhamoo sent in a team. He was brought on transit remand to Borrigumma on Sunday.
As per reports, the gang in 2018 opened a home appliance store called Roja Traders at Hatapada in Borrigumma. Initially, they lured locals with discounts. As people placed orders, they collected lakhs of rupees in advance for various items and vanished after discreetly closing the shop. The locals had then filed an FIR with Borrigumma police in October the same year. Police also sealed the shop and started probe. But the gang could not be tracked as they had changed their location and phone numbers.
A few days back, on a tip off, police got to know that the gang is operating another home appliance scheme in the same fraudulent manner in Sakti town under Jahangiri Chapa district of Chhattisgarh and sent in a team for verification. Subsequently, Tajuthin was nabbed on Saturday and brought to Borrigumma on Sunday.