GMC ‘agent’ gives fake papers, held

Ghaziabad: A man was arrested on Friday for posing as an agent of Ghaziabad Municipal Corporation (GMC) and issued certificates to victims under the UP government’s DUDA (District Urban Development Agency) scheme in exchange for money. He was accused of cheating people of more than Rs 20 lakh.

The accused, Sanjay Kaushik (45), who was unemployed, would target people of weaker sections.

“The accused used to present himself as a GMC agent and cheat people by promising them a house under DUDA, located near Govindpuram in Ghaziabad,” Ramesh Rana, investigating officer, Vijaynagar police station, said. “Initially, he would ask his victims for smaller amounts of money, but later ask for more,” he said.

Kaushik was arrested early on Friday from his residence near Police Lines in Ghaziabad. An FIR was registered under sections 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivering of property), 467 (forgery of valuable security) and 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating) of the IPC.

“During interrogation he said he did it because he needed money,” a police officer said, adding he had operated without any associates.