Jammu, Mar 20: A couple has been arrested for allegedly cheating a man and duping him of Rs 50 lakh on the pretext of getting a franchise for opening a medical laboratory here, officials said on Friday.
The crime branch Jammu arrested Harmohinder Singh, COO (Chief Operating Officer) SERA CUE Labs Pvt Ltd and his wife Gurpreet Kour in this connection, they said.
The accused were not cooperating in the investigation of the case and constantly evaded arrest by changing their locations for the last two years, the officials said.
During an investigation, it has been found that they were involved in duping and cheating many people on the same pretext for which six criminal cases stand registered against them in different states, which include Crime Branch Jammu, Gurgaon, Mohali and Jalandhar Punjab, Alwar Rajasthan, Vikaspuri Delhi, they said.
A written complaint was lodged by the victim, Naman Singh, alleging therein that the accused couple visited the house of the complainant and persuaded and allured him for getting a franchise for opening the lab under SERA brand at Jammu, the officials added.
The accused couple further told the complainant that an amount of Rs 50 lakh has to be paid for appointing the complainant as franchise and opening medical laboratory under SERA Brand and an amount of Rs 35 lakh would be paid as franchisee fee, which would be non-refundable and Rs 15 lakh security deposit, which would be refundable, they said.
Accordingly, an agreement was executed between the company through them and the complainant, which has been duly registered by sub-registrar Jammu. That in pursuance of the said agreement, the complainant has paid an amount of Rs 50 lakh on different dates, the officials said.
The duo was produced before the court of law and their police remand has been sought for further investigation of the case, they said.—(PTI)
