The Hyderabad police on Saturday identified a seven-member gang who cheated a person with the notorious 'rice pulling' scam.

 The victim, Muhammad Ajaz Khan, a 24-year old businessman had lodged a complaint about the fraud with the Rein Bazar police station earlier.

According to the police, Ajaz met one of the accused, Praveen, a resident of Bowenpally, who convinced the former that his friends in Bangalore, Srinivas and Ravi, had an ancient copper vessel which could double his money.

 "Khan fell into the Praveen's trap and contacted the former's two friends Srinivas and Ravi for the `rice-pulling' copper vessel. After some time, Srinivas sent Maqsood and Rajagopal to Khan's house. First, Khan gave Rs 1,000 note to the two, who diverting the victim's attention, arranged one more Rs 1,000 note,'' deputy commissioner of police (South Zone) V Satyanarayana told the Times of India.

Following this, Khan was conned into believing that the 'rice-pulling' worked, and gave the accused Rs 5 lakh, that he had saved for his sister’s wedding.

 According to the police, the two men asked Khan to bring hot water, during which they replaced Khan’s currency with the bundles of black coloured papers. They dipped the black coloured papers in hot water and they covered it with a cloth, before telling Khan that it would take another 24 hours for the currency to get doubled and that they would visit the next morning to take their commission of 30% from the doubled currency. 

 Khan soon realised that he had been duped, and went to the police.

 Four people have been arrested in the case, while three were absconding.

 The rice pulling scam has duped several gullible citizens and superstitious businessmen. 

 You can read all about it here.