Mumbai News: Man Held For Duping Developer Of ₹4 Crore & 3.5Kg Gold

The Worli police have apprehended Dhirendra Chandrakant Shukla from Odisha, a wanted real estate agent, on charges of duping Avighna Group of Rs2 crore and 3.5kg gold by promising them a vacant plot in Worli for development. He had been evading arrest since 2023.

Worli police said that in 2023, Kailash Kedar Nath Agarwal, a 72-year-old real estate developer, was approached by Shukla where he showcased properties in the Worli Sea Face and Harkness Road areas and offered to assist Agarwal in acquiring and developing them.

Agarwal liked one of the properties, located on RG Thadani Road, Worli Estate, Scheme No 58, and Shukla claimed to have a close relationship with the property's owner and presented some documents, promising to arrange a meeting to finalise the deal. He then valued the property at Rs150-160 crore and requested advance money and the victim gave 3.5 kg gold as an advance payment to him, said the police.

As per police, two months later, Shukla claimed that the property owner was leaving the country and needed the money urgently. He assured Agarwal that a meeting with the owner would be arranged soon. Trusting Shukla, Agarwal transferred Rs2 crore.

However, Shukla subsequently became unresponsive, avoiding Agarwal’s calls. Realizing he had been scammed, Agarwal filed a police complaint in 2023.

Following the complaint, the police registered a fraud case against Shukla. Three days ago, Shukla was arrested by the Worli police from Odisha.