Navi Mumbai: In a financial fraud case, two residents of Ghansoli were allegedly cheated of Rs 40 lakh by a gang promising high returns through forex trading. The accused reportedly shut down their office and fled after collecting the funds. Turbhe MIDC Police have registered a case under charges of cheating and provisions of the IT Act, and have launched a manhunt for the culprits.
The accused have been identified as Jai Manohar Kamad, Suraj Kadam, Sachin Dongre, and Vikas Nikam. According to police, in 2023, Dongre and Nikam had opened an office under the name SVPS Group at Millennium Business Park in Mahape. They lured investors by claiming to invest money through a Dubai-based firm, JKV Global, in the forex trading market.
They promised investors 70% of the profits while keeping 30% as commission, and even claimed that any losses would be borne by the company itself. Believing these assurances, Manisha Kirve, a resident of Ghansoli, invested Rs 20 lakh, a sum she had saved for her daughters' education and marriage. Another investor, Harshad Gosavi, also invested Rs 20 lakh based on their promises.
Initially, Dongre and Nikam portrayed that the investments were performing well, but when the investors requested access to their trading accounts and financial statements, the accused started avoiding contact. Eventually, they switched off their phones and closed their Mahape office without notice.
Kirve and Gosavi attempted to follow up with Jai and Suraj Kadam, who operate from Dubai and were allegedly associated with the JKV Global company.
"They initially gave vague assurances of returning the funds but later also stopped all communication. Realizing they had been duped, Kirve lodged a complaint with us," a police official from Turbhe MIDC Police Station said.
According to police, the accused are suspected to have cheated many people from Navi Mumbai in similar way. The police have appealed to the public to be cautious while making investments and to report any suspicious schemes immediately.
