Man masquerades as building contractor and cheats HSR resident of Rs 55000

Impersonations are common among thieves, and this one was another ingenious idea hit upon by a criminal mind. On January 20, a man appearing to be in his late 20s, presented himself at the doorstep of Prakash CV, a 65-year-old resident of 23rd Main, 24th Cross, Sector 2, HSR Layout. Calling himself Chandrashekar, he said that if Prakash had any building renovation work, he would do it at a cheaper price. Prakash gave his number and left. On January 23, Chandrashekar calls Prakash again at around 8.30pm, seeking for any job he might have for him. Prakash asks him to show any previous work that he has done in HSR Layout. The man turns up to show one building in Parangipalya and claims to have built all the floors right up to the terrace.

The alleged conman gave a quotation of Rs 65,000 for the renovation work that Prakash had for him. Eventually, he agrees to do it for Rs 55,000. The conman goes to Mangammapalya, talks to a trader to fetch a tractor worth of mud for Rs 8000. However, when the tractor guy turns up at Prakash’s home, and calls Chandrashekar on his phone number, it is switched off. In the meanwhile, Chandrashekar tells Prakash that he will go and fetch the rest of the materials for the work and never returns. The tractor guy tells Prakash that the money for the mud wasn’t paid either.

While this happened on January 23, the FIR was registered at the HSR Layout police station nearly a month later, on February 18. The cops have registered a case of cheating under Section 420 of the Indian Penal Code, and are investigating. “So far, there is no progress on the case,” Prakash informed Residents Watch.