Somendra Sharma

A Mumbai businessman who fabricates communication and transmission towers has allegedly been cheated of Rs49 lakh by a Cyprus national and his agent in New Delhi, who promised to supply zinc for his business.

The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the crime branch has filed a case cheating a forgery Kirin Nikolva, alias Bobin Popovit, and his agent Rohit Bhandari.

Popovit entered into a contract with Vinit Aggrawal in January for supplying 50 tonnes of zinc.

“Popovit forged certain shipping documents to show that his company Koom Exports Overseas Limited has loaded zinc on a ship at a port in Barbados,” deputy commissioner of police (EOW) Punjabrao Ugle said. “On seeing the papers, Aggrawal made full payment to Popovit,” he said.

In his complaint, Aggrawal said he made the payment before the consignment was delivered because the contract said he had to pay the amount immediately after receiving the documents, which Popovit sent by e-mail.

He said he had transferred $120,976 (around 49 lakhs) to a Bank of Cyprus account in the name of Popovit in the city of Larnka.

“Aggrawal and Popovit have never met,” Ugle said.

“They were in touch through the Internet. Aggrawal appointed one Punit Goyal as his agent. Goyal got in touch with Koom Exports’ India representative Rohit Bhandari,” he said.

According to the police, Bhandari had liaisoned with Aggrawal and Popovit for the “deal”. The police are yet to ascertain if Goyal was also part of the conspiracy.

Aggrawal had filed an application with the NM Joshi Marg police station in March. An FIR was registered by the EOW on Tuesday.

Source : DNA