An Indian national, Amit Kumar Uphandhay has been on wanted list of security agencies over an alleged duping of Nigerian pharmaceutical merchants. Mr. Uphandhay is said to have swindled unsuspecting businessmen a whooping sum of about three million Dollars. The forty six year old Indian swindler, was said to be operating with Future Pharmaceutical Co. Pvt Ltd and
Burmit Pharma Pvt Ltd as his business names with the Office Address at No. 502, 5th floor, Tanishka Commercial Premises, Akurli Road, Kandivali, Mumbai and his last known phone number was said to be +919769877107.
According to credible source, “He swindled pharmaceutical merchant based in Kano popularly known as Ejima $750,000. Another pharmaceutical merchant based at head bridge market Onitsha called Paul the sum of $485,000. He also defrauded another trader at Idumota, Lagos trading in the name of Puremedi pharmaceutical $685,000.” a victim revealed. It was also gathered that the 46 year old suspect was said to have defrauded his Nigerian victims over three million Dollars and that he is also owing Indian factories to the tune of over nine million Dollars.
The Indian fraudster in each case was said to have presented himself as a good supplier of pharmaceutical products and usually take his victims to several factories in India and make them believe that their goods are under production, that they should fasten their payment as his criminal strategy. Mr. Uphandhay, after collecting the full payments for the goods from the victims, will then send a fake bill of ladings only for the victims to wait for ever for the original bill of ladings which he never provided for them.
“There have been several complaints from his victims to the Interpol and Indian Police Authority and each time he was arrested he normally write an undertaking to supply the goods, which he never fulfilled thereby prompting the Interpol to declare him wanted on account of several frauds and obtaining money by false pretense, our source revealed.
“Presently he has switched his criminal activities to traders from North Africa and other Arabian countries. The general public is hereby warned to be careful of this criminal who changes mobile phone numbers and venues to evade arrest by the Interpol and Indian police.”
Another victim explained. Mr Paul Ejiogu of Puremedi Pharmaceutical Ltd, Idumota, Lagos State, who is also a victim urged Nigerian business community to be weary of the activities of Indian who according to him has become notorious for fraud.
He also called on the relevant law enforcement agencies to expedite action on bringing Amit Kumar Uphandhay to book so as to prevent many other unsuspecting Nigerians from falling prey to him, he concluded.
