Nagpur: A 41-year-old chartered accountant from Itwari was allegedly cheated of ₹28 lakh after a man promised to secure an Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) petrol pump dealership but failed to deliver, prompting the Tehsil Police to register a cheating case.

According to police, the complainant, Swapnil Vilas Asarkar (41), a chartered accountant and resident of Sudam Road, Itwari, alleged that the accused Ashish Ramesh Katkamwar, a resident of Shinde Layout, behind Lokmanya School, Suryamandir Ward, Pandav Ward, Bhadravati in Chandrapur district, fraudulently collected money from him on different dates.

Police said the accused claimed he could get an Indian Oil Corporation petrol pump sanctioned for the complainant. Trusting the assurance, the victim allegedly paid the accused ₹28 lakh in multiple instalments.

However, despite receiving the money, the accused neither arranged the promised petrol pump dealership nor returned the amount. Realising he had been deceived, the complainant approached the police.

Following a preliminary inquiry based on the application submitted by the complainant, Tehsil Policeregistered an FIR on August 6, 2026 under Sections 314, 316 and 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

The alleged fraud took place over a period beginning January 17, 2025, with the complainant claiming that the accused accepted the payments on various dates under the pretext of obtaining the dealership.

No arrest had been made at the time of registration of the case. Police have launched an investigation to verify the financial transactions and the promises allegedly made by the accused regarding the IOC petrol pump dealership.