Navi Mumbai Woman’s PAN Card Used To Float Fake Firm; Police Probe ₹29 Lakh Scam

Navi Mumbai: A major case of identity theft has surfaced in Navi Mumbai, where a fake PAN card was created using the details of a resident, leading to a financial transaction worth Rs 29 lakh. Upon discovering the fraud, the concerned authorities registered a case against an unidentified individual.

The victim, Parul Bhatia, a resident of Sanpada, became aware of the fraud while filing her income tax return for the previous financial year. During the routine document submission to her chartered accountant, she noticed suspicious activity linked to her PAN card. It was revealed that a company had been registered using her PAN, and a GST number was also obtained under her name, as reported by Loksatta.

Bhatia clarified that she had no involvement with the company or the transactions and questioned how her PAN card details were cloned and misused. She immediately filed a written complaint at the Sanpada Police Station.

According to the report, following her complaint, police investigations revealed that the fake PAN card had been used for financial operations since April 2024. A firm named "Bhatia Enterprises" was fraudulently established under her identity, through which transactions amounting to crores were conducted. Authorities further found that the operations were carried out in Uttar Pradesh.

After verifying the details in Bhatia’s complaint, the police filed a case on Tuesday, charging the accused with defrauding both the individual and the government using a forged PAN card. Police Sub-Inspector Suraj Raut is currently leading the investigation, as reported.

Elderly Powai Businessman Duped Of ₹52 Lakh In Online Honeytrap Scam

In a seperte news story related to the cyber fraud, a 65-year-old businessman from Powai was duped of Rs 52 lakh in a sophisticated cyber fraud involving a woman he met on Facebook. The case is currently being investigated by the West Region Cyber Police and has been identified as a classic honeytrap scam, where cybercriminals exploit emotional manipulation and false investment promises to deceive victims.