Mumbai: In a shocking case of deception, the Bhandup police have registered a case against Sagar Pinkesh Soni, Dhara Prakash Ved, and unidentified persons for allegedly duping a 71-year-old woman, Rekha Shyamsundar Chhabra, of Rs 1.35 crore. The accused allegedly took Rs 1.03 crore in cash and jewellery worth Rs 32 lakh from Chhabra under fraudulent assistance.
Initial Trust Leads to Large-Scale Scam
According to the FIR, Rekha Chhabra, a resident of Neminath Apartment, Sarvoday Nagar, Mulund West, lives with her 41-year-old daughter, Vinita. Chhabra previously resided at Prathamesh Viv Residency in Bhandup West until 2024. Her husband, Shyamsundar Chhabra, passed away in July 2022. In 2013, he had invested in company shares, which Rekha Chhabra decided to sell in recent years.
Layered Deception and Misappropriation of Assets
The scam began when Chhabra was introduced to a man named Pravin alias Vinubhai Karsondas Ved, by her grand-nephew. Vinubhai initially helped her sell some shares worth Rs 2.5 lakh and gained her trust. Believing him to be involved in a lucrative lending business, she invested Rs 15 lakh in his venture. However, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Vinubhai stopped sharing profits and never returned the principal amount.
Soni Poses as Recovery Agent, Orchestrates Property Fraud
On September 25, 2023, a man named Sagar Soni contacted Chhabra, claiming he could help recover the money from Vinubhai. Soni said he got her contact through a spiritual guru in Ghatkopar, convincing her of his credibility. Soni gained her confidence and allegedly collected Rs 5 lakh under the pretext of handling the recovery.
Gold, Properties Misappropriated Through Deceit
In January 2024, he claimed to have recovered Rs 30 lakh in cheques from Vinubhai and persuaded Chhabra to accompany him to the General Post Office near CST to deposit them. Under the guise of hallmarking her old jewellery, he took away total 400 grams of gold worth Rs 32 lakh which was never returned.
In yet another layer of deceit, under the pretext of assisting in selling her flat at Prathamesh Pearl Building on LBS Road, Mulund West, he allegedly coerced her into selling the property to Pradeep Salvi for Rs 90 lakh though the market value was Rs 1.15 crore. Though the sale proceeds were deposited into her account, Rs 26 lakh was deducted under the guise of builder payments, brokerage, and taxes and the remaining Rs 67 lakh stayed in her SBI account.
Soni also orchestrated the sale of Chhabra’s property in Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh, for Rs 20 lakh, but only transferred Rs 10 lakh to her account misappropriating the rest. In July 2024, he falsely claimed to have purchased a new flat at "Atmosphere," Mulund Link Road, for Rs 1.10 crore using Chhabra’s funds.
However, investigations revealed the flat belonged to Deepak Agarwal and was only rented by Soni, who misrepresented it as a purchase. The fraud continued as Soni borrowed Rs 15 lakh from an associate, Santosh Pathane, by presenting Chhabra as seriously ill and offering a security cheque signed by her.
Investigations Reveal Complex Financial Trail
It also came to light that Soni had access to a joint HDFC Bank account belonging to Chhabra and her daughter Vinita, from which he withdrew ₹69.14 lakh by November 2024. After the deception came to light, Soni went incommunicado.
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A financial trail revealed large sums transferred to an account held by Dhara Ved, who was later identified as the daughter of Prakash Ved, the brother of Vinubhai. Realising the extent of the scam, Chhabra approached the Bhandup Police.
Based on her complaint, an FIR has been registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Investigations are underway.
