A 32-year-old man from Taloja lost Rs 50 lakh in a fraudulent scheme where a gang promised him Rs 70 lakh via RTGS in exchange for Rs 50 lakh in cash. The gang, comprising at least eight individuals, fled with the cash after staging a fake police operation near Somaiya College in Mumbai’s Vidyavihar area. The incident is now under investigation by Taloja Police.
According to police, the victim, Ashraf Khan, a resident of Taloja Phase-I, was lured into the scam by acquaintances Danny, Gopal, and Rehan. They claimed to know someone who was willing to pay Rs 70 lakh through RTGS in exchange for Rs 50 lakh cash. Tempted by the promise of earning Rs 20 lakh, Ashraf borrowed the cash from his brother to proceed with the deal.
The gang members — identified as Rehan, Manoj, Imaan, Prashant, and Ujjwal Shah — maintained regular communication with Ashraf over phone and conference calls to build trust. On June 14, Ashraf, accompanied by friends Danny and Akash, went to Vidyavihar with the cash-filled bag, as instructed, the complainant said in his complaint.
At the meeting spot near Somaiya College, the accused arrived in a white WagonR and posed as police officers. Under the guise of a police operation, they took possession of the cash and fled the scene.
Later, Shah contacted Khan again and asked him to collect the money from Oberoi Mall in Goregaon. Khan waited there till late night, but no one turned up. Realizing he had been conned, he approached Tilak Nagar Police Station and lodged a complaint.
Tilak Nagar Police registered a case against Shah, Danny, Gopal, Rehan, Manoj, Imaan, Prashant, and an unidentified person. The case has now been transferred to Taloja Police. "We have registered the case and have launched a manhunt to trace the gang members," police officer from Taloja police station said.
