Four Arrested in Rs 70 Lakh Counterfeiting Scheme Targeting Amusement Park Vouchers in Mumbai
Four individuals were recently arrested by the Gorai Police for their involvement in counterfeiting entry vouchers to an amusement park, resulting in a fraud that cost the amusement park more than Rs 70 lakh. The accused, identified as Rohit Tiwari, Omprakash Pal, Diwakar Maurya, and Mithilesh Gupta, orchestrated a scheme that involved printing fake vouchers and selling them to unsuspecting visitors at the same price as genuine tickets. The arrests were the result of a detailed investigation led by Inspector Vijay Jadhav under the supervision of Deputy Commissioner of Police Anand Bhoite.
The case came to light in August when an employee of the amusement park noticed a discrepancy in the barcode on some of the entry vouchers. These suspicious vouchers bore a seven-digit barcode, whereas the legitimate ones used by the park featured six digits. Recognizing the anomaly, the park’s management was immediately alerted, and they quickly approached the police. An FIR of cheating was registered against unidentified individuals, marking the beginning of the investigation into what would later be revealed as a large-scale counterfeiting operation.
During the investigation, police learned that counterfeit vouchers were being sold in areas near the Borivali jetty, a key point from where visitors take a ferry to reach the park. These fake vouchers of amusement park were not sold through official channels but were instead placed with street vendors, including snack sellers and paanwalas, who unknowingly became part of the operation by offering the vouchers to tourists and park-goers. It was through the interrogation of these vendors that the police were able to gather valuable information leading them to the prime suspects.
The breakthrough in the case occurred when the police team, under Inspector Jadhav’s leadership, arrested two of the suspects from the Indo-Nepal border. Their arrests were pivotal in uncovering the extent of the fraud of amusement park. The investigation revealed that the counterfeit vouchers of amusement park were printed at a press operated by Mithilesh Gupta, one of the accused, who had been responsible for producing at least 8,500 fake vouchers. The scale of the counterfeiting was substantial, with the total value of the fake vouchers estimated to be worth over Rs 70 lakh.
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The scheme itself was cunningly devised. The amusement park runs promotional schemes wherein authorized ticketing agents can purchase vouchers in bulk at a discounted rate of Rs 900 per ticket. These agents, in turn, sell the vouchers to customers at Rs 1,100, earning a Rs 200 profit on each sale. The accused, who had previously worked with ticketing agents, had gained an understanding of the system and exploited this knowledge to carry out their fraud. They sold counterfeit vouchers at the same price of Rs 1,100, allowing them to pocket the entire amount since the cost of printing the fake vouchers was minimal.
The accused individuals had specific roles within the operation. Mithilesh Gupta, who operated the press, was responsible for printing the counterfeit vouchers. Rohit Tiwari, Omprakash Pal, and Diwakar Maurya had all previously worked with ticketing agents and used their insider knowledge to help distribute the fake vouchers. This understanding of the system was critical to the operation’s success, as it allowed them to create nearly identical vouchers to the legitimate ones used by the park. The fake vouchers were virtually indistinguishable from the real ones, apart from the barcode anomaly that eventually led to their discovery.
The arrests of these four individuals marked the culmination of the police’s efforts to dismantle the counterfeiting operation. The scale of the fraud highlights the vulnerabilities in ticketing systems, especially in businesses that rely on physical vouchers or tickets. In this case, the perpetrators exploited the opportunity to produce counterfeit tickets in large quantities, cheating the amusement park out of significant revenue and potentially damaging its reputation.
The Gorai Police’s swift action in tracking down the individuals responsible for the fraud of amusement park is commendable. The police worked diligently to gather evidence, question those involved, and trace the operations back to the source. Their investigation demonstrated the importance of vigilance, not only from law enforcement but also from employees who are on the ground and can identify irregularities, as was the case when the park employee noticed the discrepancy in the barcodes.
The arrests have likely put an end to this particular fraud, but the case underscores the need for businesses to continually assess and improve their ticketing systems. With the increasing availability of sophisticated printing technology, counterfeiting has become easier, making it all the more important for organizations to adopt robust security measures such as digital verification systems or more advanced barcoding technologies that are difficult to replicate.
In conclusion, the Gorai Police’s successful apprehension of the four individuals behind the Rs 70 lakh fraud serves as a reminder of the risks associated with counterfeiting and the importance of constant vigilance. The incident also highlights the critical role that thorough investigations and collaboration between law enforcement and businesses play in addressing and preventing fraudulent activities.