'Agent' doc lures man to invest in bogus firm

The Additional Pune District Consumer Redressal Forum has directed an investment company to pay Rs1.23 lakh to a Rahatani resident who invested Rs1.73 lakh.

Interestingly, the complainant Vitthal Maruti Ekbote got in touch with the firm — My Trends Marketing India Pvt. Ltd — through his daughter’s physiotherapist Dr Sanjay Vaydande of Thergaon.
Vaydande was an agent for the investment firm located in Goregaon in Mumbai.

While treating Ekbote’s daughter, Vaydande told Ekbote about an investment scheme titled ‘Onegold Land’. Ekbote paid Rs1,73,415 to Vaydande and got the receipt, dated October 5, 2008.

The firm gave returns on his investment on November 25, 2008; February 17, 2009 and April 11, 2009. But the cash voucher dated April 23 could not be credited due to insufficient balance. The victim sent legal notices to Vaydande and the investment firm, but did not receive any response.

Vaydande promised Ekbote that the company would transfer a plot in Usmanabad in his name. Later, Vaydande paid Ekbote Rs50,000.

The victim filed a complaint against the investment company with the consumer forum on May 5, 2010.

Vaydande told the forum that he himself was one of the victims of the company and had paid Rs50,000 to Ekbote from his pocket.  The forum directed the firm to pay Rs1,23,415; Rs5,000 as compensation for mental harassment, and Rs2,000 as the cost incurred by the complainant.