Teacher and wife dupe jeweller to repay loan

Lucknow: Claiming mounting pressure to repay a loan of around Rs 50 lakh, a govt teacher and his wife allegedly turned to crime, duping a jeweller of Rs 5 lakh through trickery on Jehta Road in Maal on city outskirts.

The accused — Mohammad Afsar, an assistant teacher posted in Badaun, his wife Danisha Fatima, a teacher at Kali Charan Inter College in Thakurganj, and Afsar’s brother Mohammad Ajmal — were arrested near Kakrabad underpass on Friday. Police recovered eight mobile phones, fake gold ornaments, cash and the car used in the crime.

The victim, Subhash Chandra Maurya, a jeweller from Kakori, told police that on April 5 he was heading with his wife to Chowk Sarrafa market with Rs 5 lakh in a bag. Near Jehta bridge, the accused intercepted them on the pretext of asking directions and fled with the cash.

Investigators later found the incident was not a robbery but a con.

DCP North Zone Gopal Krishna Chaudhary said the accused earlier lured the jeweller by offering to sell “ancestral gold” at a low price. To gain trust, they showed a genuine gold sample. On the day of the deal, they brought fake jewellery; when the victim refused after checking it, they created a distraction and escaped with the money.

Police recovered two gold bangles, Rs 29,500 cash, bank deposit slips worth Rs 1.9 lakh, 16 SIM cards and 10 fake ornaments. Officials said the gang may have duped several others using similar tactics. Afsar and Ajmal have prior fraud cases across multiple districts, while Danisha’s background is under verification.

During interrogation, the accused claimed financial distress due to a Rs 50 lakh loan pushed them into committing such crimes. Police said the loan angle is being verified and further investigation is underway.