Mumbai Crime: Antop Hill Police Bust Inter-State Fraud Racket; 2 Arrested From Delhi, 21-Gram Gold Stolen From Wadala Woman Recovered

Mumbai: In a significant breakthrough, the Antop Hill Police have successfully nabbed two members of an inter-state fraud gang who were involved in deceiving citizens under the pretense of offering cash bundles. The arrests were made in Delhi following a thorough technical investigation, and two cheating cases have been solved so far.

Wadala Woman Targeted in Scam

The case originated from a complaint filed by Afreen Abdul Hakim Shaikh, 47, a housewife and resident of Wadala, Mumbai. On July 19, around 11:40 AM, while walking near the GTB Monorail Station in Sion Koliwada, she was approached by two unknown women and a young man who offered her a bundle of cash and convinced her to place her gold ornaments, approximately 21 grams worth Rs 1,36,800 into a bag.

The trio then cleverly escaped with the jewelry. A case was registered at Antop Hill police station under Sections 318(4) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Act.

Investigation Leads to Arrests

Through electronic surveillance and technical intelligence, the accused were traced to Raghubir Nagar in West Delhi. Acting swiftly, a police team laid a trap and arrested the duo on August 11, from the jurisdiction of Khayala Police Station, Delhi.

The arrested individuals are, Pravin Kumar Jagdish Yadav, 35, a driver by profession and resident of Raghubir Nagar, West Delhi, and Mani alias Nini Pawan Bavariya, 37, also a resident of Raghubir Nagar, West Delhi.

Accused Have Criminal History

Notably, Mani, alias Nini, has a criminal history with at least three prior cases registered in Delhi: two for cheating at the North Avenue Police Station in West Delhi, and another at the Hauz Khas Police Station in New Delhi. Moreover, a similar case was also registered against the accused at the Andheri Police Station in Mumbai, an official said.

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Further Probe Underway

Both accused have been brought to Mumbai and are currently in police custody. Further investigation is underway to uncover the extent of the gang’s operations and identify other potential victims or accomplices.