A couple in Kanpur duped senior citizens in the name of making them look like 25-year-olds.
Kanpur police have registered a report against Rajesh and Rashmi Dubey after 16 people complained that the duo had promised to give them youthful looks via a machine brought from Israel.
Those duped were shown a presentation that had images of film stars, cricketers and politicians with the Dubeys claiming that all of them went abroad to get a special oxygen therapy that gave them youthful looks. Among those duped is a 65-year-old, who on condition of anonymity said that he had given Rs 1.8 lakh for two sessions with the machine. “The presentation seemed very genuine. The couple convinced me. I am sure there are many others who have been duped but they are ashamed to come forward”. He said that the couple had also shown potential customers newspaper articles about the miracle machine.
Those who bought into the couple’s claims were asked to rope in more customers and were given gift hampers as incentives. Promised gifts included laptops, international trips, a small car or a bigger one depending on the number of clients one got. A three-hour ‘motivational class’ was also used to brainwash potential clients.
Meanwhile, Rajesh Dubey said, “It is a complete exaggeration that crores of rupees were given for the treatment. The entire business done by the company is of Rs 40 lakh till date.” The police has, however, so far traced Rs 75 lakh worth of transactions. Those at the receiving end of the fraud say that the couple swindled upwards of Rs 35 crore.
Anjali Vishwakarma, ACP Babupurwa said, “A committee of health experts has been formed to find out if there is indeed any machine which can offer such miraculous anti-ageing benefits”. The police are also investigating the cryptocurrency investments made by the couple.
The therapy offered by the machine incidentally also gave some clients burns - only to be told by the duo that these were temporary and would go away with time. The police have given the couple three days to produce all relevant documents and also the details of the miracle machine.