Web developer held in Indore for cheating Australian client of Rs 1 crore

The accused allegedly told the Australian that he had contacts inside Apple, and could develop a video conference platform that would run smoothly on the iPhone, iPad and MacBook.

Indore: A city-based web developer has been arrested here for allegedly duping an Australian national of Rs one crore after undertaking to develop a video conference platform that can run on Apple devices, police said on Thursday.

Mayank Saluja (42), a freelance developer, allegedly did not deliver the product after taking the money.

Complainant Paul Shepherd, an Australia-based chartered accountant, had asked Saluja to create a video conference platform, said Jitendra Singh, superintendent, cyber police.

Saluja allegedly told him that he had contacts inside Apple, and could develop a platform that would run smoothly on the iPhone, iPad and MacBook.

But they would need to form a non-government organisation (NGO) for inking an agreement with Apple, he told the Australian.

Shepherd paid him around 1.77 lakh Australian dollars, equivalent to about Rs one crore, but Saluja never delivered the product, the complaint said.

The cyber police has acquired the rights to use the video conference platform being developed by Saluja with the permission of a local court so that the accused cannot destroy the evidence, the SP said, adding that probe was on.