Raipur Police on Friday arrested an interstate fraudster named Usman Ali who duped elderly people on the pretext of giving treatment to incurable diseases.

 

According to the reports, victim Sheetla Singh, who retired from the post of teacher in 2011, lodged a complaint with the police that she has suffering of arthritis for the last 12 to 13 years and it couldn’t be cured till date. Her son Colonel Ajit Singh, who is posted in Punjab and one daughter Dr Nitu Thakur lives in Nasik of Maharashtra.

 

Applicant’s son Ajit Singh had sent a man Mahendra Singh Rathore to look after his wife. Applicant’s husband L Y Singh is an octogenarian and he often remains sick, so she is the one who gets out for daily chores or to buy groceries.

On December 9, 2020, she had gone to medical store to purchase medicines at Kotwali Chowk, when accused Usman approached Mahendra Singh and asked the reason for them to visit medical store.

 

Usman used a fake name Rahul Agrawal to introduce himself and said he lives at Kota, Raipur near Central Bank. He said that he knew a doctor named Dr Rehman, a resident of Mominpura Nagpur, who can cure the knee ailment. He can call the doctor to Raipur, if they were interested in treatment. They blindly trusted the man and gave mobile number of Mahendra.

 

On December 10, someone called on Mahendra’s mobile number and introduced himself as Dr Rehman from Nagpur and referred the name Rahul Agrawal. Elderly woman asked him to come the next day at 8 am. Dr Rehman said that although he can cure her knees, but the fees will be on higher side and will take Rs 2,200 for one session. Dr Rehman let out some liquid from her knees and said now her knees were cured. He demanded Rs 2.45 lakh for entire treatment, which the elderly-woman paid.

 

He even prescribed her medicines, which she bought for Rs 75,000 from Shrinivas Ayurvedic Medicine Shop at Krishna Complex, Kutchery chowk. Dr Rehman said in case of any issue, he will return back to check. But, the phone numbers of both Dr Rehman and Rahul Agrawal were switched off. On her complaint, Saraswati Nagar Police had registered an FIR under Section 420 and 34 of IPC.