IMPHAL, Aug 31: The identity of a man who swindled Rs 35 lakhs out of people of the Muslim community in the State has been determined.
According to documents recovered from the man’s rented room in Mantripukhri for the past one and a half years under the assumed identity of Irfan Ahmed before absconding, he is identified as Ahmed Merchant, son of Khalid Haneed Ahmed from 291Badri Building, 1st / 3rd floor Nagdevi Street, Mumbai.
He has been absconding since August 28, said a man claiming to be a victim.
In a press meet at the head office of Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System today in Nongmeibung, Hussain Ahmed, one of the victims who got swindled said the con- artist assuming the identity of Irfan Ahmed lived in Manipur for about one and half years.
A PAN card bearing the registration no ACYPA6768K and an election card bearing card no IYVI754431 was found from his rented room, Hussain said adding that the con-artist had fraudulently collected Rs 35, 00,000 from Muslims in the name of constructing Mosques and educational institutions in the State and had assure to lend them crores of rupees from ‘PAN Muslim’.
The con artist is reported to have even paid around Rs 85,000 to a mason for the initial stages of a Masjid construction.
The con-artist collected money from people of the Muslim community from Hatta Golapati, Yairipok, Kwakta and Keirang urging them to invest and promising handsome returns, Hussain said.
The con-artist even convinced some people that he was extremely influential and was on back slapping terms with the DGP and deputy CM of the State and could help them get transfers and postings of their choice and even get them promoted, he added.
He left two child labourers: a five year old girl and a 10 year old boy in his rented room. The underage labourers were handed over to officials of Childline.
Lamenting the actions of the man who cheated people in the name of religion, JCILPS co convenor BK Moiramcha stated that the people of Manipur must be alert from such migrants adding that the implementation of ILP system would have avoided such cases.
He said that migrants with fake IDs come to the State and disturbed the harmonious environment in the State.