The Trombay police have arrested a 45-year-old conman, who had been absconding since 2018, after luring him with the prospect of financial gain. Sandip Patsute, had been booked for cheating five Mumbai residents out of Rs 18.29 lakh collectively. The police said Patsute had promised to get them flats at throwaway rates under MHADA’s lottery scheme. When they approached the police after realising they had been conned, Patsute fled the city and had been on the run since then.

“We made repeated attempts to apprehend him, including sending a team to his native place, Patan in Satara, and making inquiries with his family in Mumbai,” said an officer with the Trombay police who was part of the investigation.