Hyderabad, Dec 24 (IANS): Hyderabad Police have arrested three persons who cheated a man in the guise of selling Mahindra vehicles at lesser price.

A team of Cyber Crimes Police Station arrested the accused who induced the victim by impersonating themselves as General Manager at Mahindra CIE Automotive Limited and cheating to the tune of over Rs 3.54 lakh

They were booked under sections 66 C and D of the Information Technology Act and sections 419 and 420 of the Indian Penal Code.

The accused are Tadi Naveen Kumar, Kancharla Madhu and Srinivas Durga Prasad, all from Rajahmundry, Andhra Pradesh.

Police said incriminating material was seized from the possession of the accused person.

The arrests were made during the investigation after receiving a complaint. V. Danie Ratnam told police that he received a call from an unknown person, who identified himself as G.S. Chandrasekhar, claiming to be the General Manager (HR & Administration) at Mahindra CIE Automotive Limited. Chandrashekar stated that he was a former client of the complainant's security services and informed him of their requirement for security services at a new factory located Industrial Park Unit, Palamaner in Chittoor district, Andhra Pradesh.

Following this conversation, the complainant submitted a quotation, and subsequent correspondence confirmed complainant’s company services to commence from January 25, 2024. During the discussions, Chandrashekar also informed the complainant of an opportunity to purchase brand new R&D and demo vehicles at discounted prices through the company's annual auction. Trusting the credentials, the complainant proceeded to book two Mahindra Bolero SLX vehicles, by transferring Rs 3,54,236 to account numbers given by Chandrashekar between November 23 and 25.

The complainant was assured that the vehicles would be delivered to his premises by 5 p.m. on November 27. When the vehicles were not delivered, the complainant tried to contact Chandrasekhar but his mobile number was found to be switched off. Subsequent enquiry by the complainant revealed that the bank account provided was under an individual's name and the complainant realized that he was cheated.

Police have advised the general public to not to believe the unreliable offers of vehicles or mobile phones at lesser prices and to treat unsolicited messages circulating through social media applications with skepticism.