Navi Mumbai Businessman Duped of Rs 33.3 Lakh by Woman He Met on Dating App

Thane: A 53-year-old businessman from Navi Mumbai was allegedly cheated of Rs 33.3 lakh by a woman who befriended him on an online dating application, police said on Sunday.

Based on a complaint by the businessman from Ghansoli, a case was registered at the Cyber police station on Friday under sections 319(2) (cheating by personation) and 318(4) (cheating) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Information Technology Act, an official said.

The complainant has alleged that a woman who identified herself as Pragati Dahiya contacted him on a dating app, and they met and communicated on WhatsApp between March and July 2024. The accused lured him into giving her Rs 33.3 lakh whenever they met in five months, he said.

The accused failed to return the money, following which the complainant approached the police, the official said, adding that a probe is underway and no arrest has been made.