Kalyan: Dombivli police have registered a case against investment firm Progain Rental Marketing Services Ltd and its director Prashant Angane and others for allegedly duping at least 68 investors of around Rs 7 crore by promising lucrative returns through different investment schemes.The case was registered on Sunday after at least 68 investors approached Dombivli police and alleged that their investments were not returned as promised. Police said the number of complainants and the amount involved could increase as the investigation progresses.Dombivli police station senior inspector Amarnath Waghmode said Angane had previously been arrested in an investment fraud case involving another company and that the latest complaint relates to a different company allegedly operated by him.“Angane was arrested in the past for allegedly duping investors through another company. This time, complaints have been received against his another company, with 68 victims so far alleging that they were duped of around Rs 7 crore. The number of victims and the amount involved could increase,” Waghmode said.According to the complaint, the accused allegedly offered investors different investment schemes and assured them attractive returns. Investigation officer Ramsingh Goud said the amounts collected from individual investors ranged from Rs 60,000 to Rs 76 lakh.“The accused and other persons allegedly duped investors by offering different investment schemes. The investments made by individual complainants ranged from Rs 60,000 to Rs 76 lakh,” Goud said.In the past, last year too, Angane, director of another Concunsmart Shares and Stock Broker Pvt Ltd, in Mumbai was booked by Mumbai Economic Offences Wing (EOW) for allegedly cheating 52 investors of around Rs 2.77 crore by promising lucrative returns. In that case, Angane was arrested and later was released on bail. However, this is another company run by Angane for which he is now facing threat of arrest.Investigators are also examining the financial transactions of Progain Rental Marketing Services Ltd and the role of other accused persons allegedly involved in collecting money from investors.Police officials said they were verifying the investment schemes offered by the company, the promises made to investors and the flow of funds. Police have appealed to other people who may have invested with the company and suffered losses to approach them.
