Mumbai: NRI accused in cheating cases moves court for permit to travel to Russia to care of pregnant wife

A 36-year-old NRI, who is accused in three cases of cheating, has approached the metropolitan magistrate court here, seeking to travel to Russia to be with his pregnant wife in light of the Russia-Ukraine war, police said on Saturday.

Ravi Navlani, who is currently out on bail, is not allowed travel out of the country or leave Mumbai without court permission, an official said.

The accused has three cases of cheating registered against him at police stations in Cuffe Parade, Bandra Kurla Complex and Bhoiwada for allegedly posing as an employee of a well-known company and cheating investors, he said.

Navlani on Wednesday approached the metropolitan magistrate court in Bandra, stating that he wishes to travel to his home in Russia, as there is nobody to take care of his pregnant wife there.

The lawyer of the accused in the application said, "The applicant is a Russia-based NRI holding a green card and his business is set up in Moscow. The applicant's wife is currently six months pregnant and is alone. It is important for the applicant to go back to Russia in order to take care of her wife." The accused has also urged the court to consider the prevailing Russia-Ukraine war and the COVID-19 situation.

Navlani was first arrested in 2019 in a case registered at Cuffe Parade police station, following which he was arrested by the BKC police in 2020 and by Bhoiwada police in December 2021.