Fake customs officials swindle man of Rs 4.15 lakh outside Delhi airport

New Delhi: A 53-year-old man, who works as a labourer in Saudi Arabia, was allegedly cheated of more than Rs 4 lakh in foreign currency outside the Indira Gandhi International Airport here by two persons posing as Customs department officials, police said Tuesday.

According to the FIR, Mohammad Suleman, a native of Rajasthan's Ajmer, landed at the Delhi airport early on Sunday morning from Saudi Arabia.

Outside the airport, the two accused, posing as customs officials, led Suleman to the parking area. On the way, they took his passport and belongings. They then took the victim to Mahipalpur in a car being driven by another person, the complaint stated.

The accused stopped the car in an isolated area, and snatched his mobile phone, Saudi Riyad 19,000 (valued at Rs 4.15 lakh) and Rs 2,000 in Indian currency. They asked him where he got the mobile phone and the foreign currency, a police official said.

The accused then forced the victim to step out of the car and sped away while telling that they would return with their senior officer, the police official said.

A case under Indian Penal Code section 420 (cheating) has been registered and an investigation was underway, the police said.