By Our Staff Reporter
Dehradun, 20 May: A woman has alleged that she was duped of Rs 21 lakh by two individuals who promised her a tea café franchise. The complaint has been lodged at the Dalanwala police station.
According to the complainant, Shweta Sharma, she came in contact with a man named Sandeep Singh and his mother Simran Gurnani, who claimed to run a business called “Chai-Wai Cafe Pvt Ltd.” They promised her good returns if she invested in their franchise.
“Trusting them, I signed an agreement with them and gave them a total of Rs 14,94,63 between February and May 2024,” she said. She also rented a shop on Rajpur Road for Rs 45,000 per month and started setting up the cafe.
During this time, Sandeep and his mother were present but later stopped supporting her. According to the agreement, the company was supposed to provide staff, training, and material, but nothing was arranged.
Shweta also alleged that they stole her new mobile phone during the setup and replaced it with an old one. She fears the phone might be misused for criminal activities.
When she asked them to follow the contract, they avoided her calls, used abusive language, and later even threatened her. In October 2024, they blocked her number. The police have received the complaint and have started an investigation.
