Dubai man cheats 4 city firms

The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Mumbai crime branch is investigating a cheating case, wherein four Mumbai-based companies dealing in import of iron scraps were allegedly cheated by a Dubai-based firm to the tune of Rs1.25 crore.

Rakesh Maria, joint commissioner of police (crime), said the EOW received a complaint alleging that between August 18 and August 27, four companies — Guardian Castings, Red Flames Alloys, Shree Salasar and Wada Ingots — had come into contract with a Dubai-based scrap exporting firm. The Dubai-based firm is owned by a Habibullah Shehzad who has an agent by the name of Apoorva Thakkar in Mumbai.

“It was decided that Habibullah’s firm would export iron scrap worth Rs3.25 crore to the four companies. The victims had made partial payment of about Rs1.25 crore to Habibullah through his local agent Thakkar,” said Maria. He added that, here after the material was uploaded in 82 containers on the ship belonging to  Pan Asia Logistics, which had left from the Jabel Ali port in Dubai on August 27.

“When the containers were checked by the customs officials at the JNPT a few days ago, they were found empty. The four companies allege Habibullah, Thakkar and Pan Asia Logistics are behind this and have given an application to us on September 11. We are investigating the case to know whether the goods were pilfered in high seas,” Maria said.