Mumbai: The Samta Nagar police on March 31 apprehended a 29-year-old man, Sahil Sheikh, for allegedly defrauding a woman of nearly Rs9 lakh under the guise of assisting her with child adoption.
The case dates back to November 2020, when the woman was introduced to Sheikh through a friend, who allegedly offered to help her adopt a child. According to the police, the victim is a 46-year-old woman residing in Kandivali East and currently works as a caregiver. After experiencing difficulties conceiving during her 15-year marriage, she sought to adopt a child.
Sheikh claimed to have arranged a child from an ashram and requested funds for the adoption process. Subsequently, he collected personal documents and Rs1.7 lakh from her, providing a photo of the girl child, but later informed her of the child’s demise due to Covid-19. He then promised the complainant another child.
Sheikh then informed the victim about a girl living with her grandmother, who was unable to care for her. Exploiting this situation, he demanded more money from the victim, enticing her with the promise that all properties owned by the girl’s grandmother would be transferred to her in the future. Consequently, he managed to extort Rs9.14 lakh. Despite the payment, the child was not handed over to her.
Additionally, Sheikh misused the victim’s documents to secure a loan for a motorcycle. Realising the deception, the woman lodged a case with the Samta Nagar police in November 2022.
After his arrest, Sheikh confessed he had no affiliation with any orphanage or institution. A police officer said that Sheikh worked as a security guard and frequently changed his address. He resides in Versova, Andheri West, and was arrested with the assistance of technical means. No prior cases have been filed against him.
