Election Deception: Vigilance Impostors Cheat Kolhapur Businessman

A group of five alleged impostors cheated a businessman in Kolhapur out of Rs 25 lakh by posing as vigilance officers enforcing the election code of conduct. The incident unfolded when the victim was coerced into a vehicle under the pretense of checking his cash, only to be swindled.

In a shocking case from Maharashtra's Kolhapur, five men allegedly swindled a local businessman out of over Rs 25 lakh by masquerading as vigilance officers. The incident took place on Tuesday morning, according to police reports.

The victim, a swing trader, was approached by one of the accused when he alighted from a bus. The impostor claimed to be a vigilance officer and queried the businessman about carrying cash, citing the election code of conduct.

Deceived by the imposter's guise, the businessman was taken in a car where he surrendered his cash and mobile. Realizing it was a con, he later managed to get released in Sarnobatwadi without his money or phone. Police are currently working to identify the culprits.

(With inputs from agencies.)