Mumbai: A 37-year-old film producer has allegedly been cheated of Rs71.79 lakh by a man and his father who posed as having close links with senior police officials and claimed they could procure luxury vehicles seized by the police through auctions at throwaway prices. The Agripada police have registered a case against accused Paul Suryavanshi and his father Prabhudas Suryavanshi and are conducting further investigations.
Contact through Facebook
According to the FIR, the complainant, Soharab Khodamorad Bozormchami, a resident of Saat Rasta, Byculla, came into contact with accused Paul Suryavanshi through Facebook in 2016. Paul introduced himself as a line producer in the film industry and claimed to be related to noted cinematographer John Wilmore. He further stated that he was involved in advertising and film production work in Pune.
As their acquaintance grew due to shared professional interests, Paul claimed that his mother, Preeti Prabhudas Suryavanshi, was an IPS officer serving as Superintendent of Police in Pune, while his father worked with Tata Motors and had access to senior officials within the company. Paul later introduced his father to the complainant.
The accused allegedly told Bozormchami that Preeti Suryavanshi handled seized vehicles at police stations and could help sell them through police auctions at significantly lower prices. To gain the complainant’s confidence, Paul also introduced him to another individual, claiming he was a prominent industrialist and investor with strong political and film industry connections.
Payments for multiple vehicles
Over time, Paul and his father developed close ties with the complainant and his family and persuaded them to invest money in purchasing seized vehicles through police auctions, promising high resale profits. In November 2018, the accused informed Bozormchami about a white Ford Endeavour allegedly seized at Pimpri-Chinchwad Police Station, claiming its auction price would be Rs7.5 lakh.
The complainant was taken to the police station and shown the vehicle. He subsequently transferred Rs4.5 lakh online and paid the remaining Rs3 lakh in cash. Between 2019 and the following years, the accused allegedly collected large sums of money from the complainant for multiple high-end vehicles, including a Range Rover, Mercedes CLA, Skoda Superb, Hyundai i20, Innova, and even an Activa scooter, claiming these would soon be auctioned. In total, the complainant allegedly paid Rs76.78 lakh.
Cheque bounced
Despite repeated assurances, none of the vehicles were delivered. The accused kept delaying the process citing reasons such as court procedures, NOCs, elections, and the COVID-19 pandemic. In September 2023, Paul allegedly showed the complainant a photocopy of an email claiming that all police auctions had been suspended by the Chief Minister’s Office.
When suspicion grew, the complainant demanded a meeting with Paul’s mother, but was told she was away in Lucknow for a CBI investigation. In January 2024, after further pressure, Paul issued a cheque of Rs81.72 lakh from a private bank, which later bounced as it had expired. Only Rs4.99 lakh was returned, while the remaining Rs71.79 lakh was allegedly misappropriated.
Based on the complaint, the Agripada police have registered an offence under Sections 318(4) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Act, and are probing the matter further.
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