Huge discount offers on cars: Odisha couple held over Rs 40 cr fraud

Bhubaneswar: Bhubaneswar Police claimed to have cracked down a fraud case to the tune of crores by arresting a couple along with their relative on the charge of duping over a 100 people in false car deals. The accused, identified as Akshay Gouda and his wife Usharani Gouda from Aska in Ganjam, were reportedly running a used car showroom under the name ‘Maa Pattakhanda Automobiles’ in the State Capital along with another relative Sibaram Gouda.

The trio had duped around Rs 40 crore from people by offering 50 per cent discount in purchasing brand new cars and was absconding after allegations of fraud over fake automobile deals came to the fore following various police complaints filed by people who had been cheated.

The victims, in their complaints, had stated that they came across an advertisement on social media in which Bhubaneswar-based Maa Pattakhanda Automobiles Private Limited was offering cars at 50 per cent discount of the market price. Customers interested were asked to deposit a basic amount of Rs 30,000 to Rs 40,000 as advance. When some of them enquired about details, the accused showed fake agreements with several car showrooms in Bhubaneswar to sell their cars under clearance sale.

Initially, the fraudsters gave new cars to some customers with high discount to earn their trust and gain credibility. However, later, they cheated people to the tune of over Rs 40 crore by asking them to deposit the basic amount as advance.

Addressing mediapersons, Bhubaneswar DCP Prateek Singh confirmed that the three of them were arrested on fraud charges. “The accused were cheating people by selling cars they had won by lottery, with heavy discount offers. They had won nearly 20 cars on lottery between 2015-2016 which they were trying to sell by offering discounts. The fraudsters tricked many people into giving money by earning their trust and then fled. Till now, four accounts have been tracked through which crores worth transactions were being made. It was also found that they have bought many flats, landed property and gold. We have brought them on remand for further investigation,” he said.