Mumbai News: Man Booked For Impersonating Gym Trainer To Approach Women Via Instagram And Matrimony App

A 31-year-old Dadar-based gym trainer has approached the police alleging that one of his ex-neighbours has used his pictures to create a profile at a matrimony site to approach women.

According to the victim Saurabh Waghmode who works at Hardcore Gym in Lalbaug, the matter first surfaced when he received a call from his female friend on the night of April 10. This friend informed Saurabh that she heard via another friend that using Saurabh’s picture, a man named Amit Shinde had created a profile at a popular matrimony site.

Victim's Encounter With Online Impersonation

Saurabh, in his statement to the police, said, Amit Shinde ‘matched’ with a Sion-based 25-year-old woman, using the profile with his (Saurabh) picture and was ‘getting close to her’.

Saurabh along with his female friend contacted the Sion-based girl and asked her to come to Parel to meet them. “She had a video recording on her mobile which she recorded while they were on a video call. She showed that to us, and I instantly recognized the person she was talking to. He was previously living in my building, his name is Sagar Kandalkar,” said Saurabh. He added that Sagar introduced himself as Saurabh's friend, to play cupid between the girl and the victim. 

Gym Trainer's Images Used for Online Deception

According to the first information report (FIR) by Saurabh, Sagar is currently a resident of Lower Parel and the age of 27. The female friend of Saurabh and Sagar were in touch with each other via Instagram and Sagar’s profile has the name Amit Shinde which has Saurabh’s picture as a display picture.

“The pictures he has used of mine are probably taken from my Instagram account and using my picture, he was following many women, posing as me,” added Saurabh. 

The modus operandi of the alleged accused, according to the victim, is to use the latter’s pictures to approach women, then defame him. 

Case Registered At Shivaji Park Police

Saurabh approached the Shivaji Park police on Thursday night and registered a case against Sagar Kandalkar. Police have booked Sagar under section 419 (cheating by personation) of the Indian Penal Code and sections 66(c) (identity theft) and 66(d) (cheating by personation using computer resources) of the Information Technology Act. 

"No arrest has been made yet. The probe is on," said Tejaswi Satpute, DCP Zone 5.