Mumbai News: Man Arrested In ₹67 Lakh Cyber Fraud Targeting Elderly Sisters; Hunt On For Mastermind

Mumbai: The South Cyber Cell of the Mumbai Police has arrested a man from Dahisar in connection with a ₹67 lakh cyber fraud involving two elderly sisters. The arrested accused has been identified as Mohit Akash Bhojraj. According to officials, Mohit was in constant contact with a notorious cyber fraudster named Salid Mohammed Shaikh, a resident of Bengaluru, Karnataka, who is now a wanted accused in the case.

Investigations revealed that Mohit had provided Shaikh with access to 19 bank accounts, which were allegedly used to siphon off the defrauded funds. The cyber cell is continuing its probe to trace the financial trail and locate the absconding mastermind.

According to the complaint, the victims — two sisters residing with their mother in Girgaon — were added to a WhatsApp group in January 2025 after investing in a finance company. The group was operated by a woman named Shruti Baheti, who regularly posted updates about lucrative stock opportunities. To gain members’ trust, Shruti shared screenshots and chat records showcasing supposed profits from previous investments.

On January 21, Shruti directly messaged one of the sisters, convincing her to invest in a "block share deal" with the promise of high returns. The woman opened an account with the finance company and invested a substantial amount. After receiving initial returns, her sister also joined the group and invested as well. Between them, the sisters invested a total of ₹67.15 lakh.

Soon after, their investment portfolio was shown to have grown to ₹1.88 crore. However, when they attempted to withdraw ₹50 lakh, the transaction failed. Upon inquiry, Shruti claimed a tax payment was required before the funds could be released. It was then that the sisters realized they had been defrauded and subsequently filed an FIR.

The cyber cell has arrested Mohit Bhojraj and is actively working to trace the remaining accused, particularly the mastermind, Salid Mohammed Shaikh. Further investigation is underway.