One held for selling fake gold statue

A CORRESPONDENT

ITANAGAR, June 25: Police on Monday apprehended the culprit involved in the selling of a fake gold statue to Mangam Takang of Itanagar. The arrested person is from Assam. The accused arrested is Prodip Milli (28), son of Babai Milli of Village Baligaon under Garamur Post Office in Majuli District of Assam. SDPO Kamdam Sikom informed that as per several complaints received, unscrupulous persons were calling over phone offering to sell gold for a price less than the market rate citing that the gold has been accidently unearthed while digging up a construction site.

The callers insisted that the intending buyers come to Lakhimpur in Assam to make the payment.

The SDPO has alerted the public not to fall prey to such fraudulent callers promising to sell gold below the market rate and inform the nearest Police Station.

Mangam Takang, a resident from Vivek vihar in Itanagar, had lodged an FIR to the effect that during the month of March, one Prodip Mili of Majuli (Assam) had approached him and said that he had found a gold statue of Jesus Christ (weighing 2.3 kg) from a river bank and that he wanted to sell it.

Being a Christian by religion, Mangam Takang agreed to purchase the gold statue. As such they made a deal at Banderdewa. He paid Rs. 6, 35,800 as advance amount.

After receiving the money, the seller suddenly disappeared from Banderdewa leaving the so-called gold statue at the place of deal. Later on checking the quality of the gold it was found to be made of brass.

The investigating team was led by the SDPO Kamdam Sikom also included Investing Officer (IO) Inspector Karbom Tao, and ASI PK Gohain nabbed the culprits from Majuli and Lakhimpur Districts of Assam on Monday.

The case (162/2018 U/s 420/34 IPC) is registered at Itanagar Police Station.