Mumbai EOW Registers ₹30 Crore Fraud Case Against Viva Group MD Mehul Thakur

Mumbai: In a major development, the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Mumbai Police has registered an FIR against Mehul Thakur, Managing Director of Viva Group and a relative of Maharashtra politician Hitendra Thakur, in connection with a ₹30 crore financial fraud.

The case was filed at NM Joshi Marg Police Station under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including Section 316 (criminal breach of trust), Section 318 (cheating), Section 336 (forgery), Section 338 (forgery of valuable security), and Section 34 (common intention for using forged documents or electronic records).

According to the complaint filed by Rohitashwa Poddar, Managing Director of the Poddar Group, he and Mehul Thakur jointly established Viva Poddar Housing Pvt Ltd in 2012. Thakur allegedly promised Poddar triple returns on investments, after which both parties entered into a deal to acquire 75 acres of land in Vasai and Virar from local farmers at a price of ₹56 crore for development purposes.

Based on this agreement, Poddar reportedly transferred ₹30 crore to the newly formed joint company. However, Thakur allegedly forged a board resolution granting himself sole signatory rights, and subsequently transferred the ₹30 crore into Viva Holdings. Thakur then failed to return the funds and allegedly began threatening Poddar when questioned.

Notably, Mehul Thakur was previously arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in 2021 in a separate case and was granted bail in 2023. The investigation is ongoing.