Mumbai: A 57-year-old police constable, Vijay Gaikwad, was defrauded of ₹93 lakh by a businessman who promised him a partnership in two companies, falsely claiming involvement from Sharad Pawar, the chief of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP-SP). The accused, Apoorva Jagdish Mehta, 48, from Goregaon, deceived Gaikwad, a constable at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport since 2020, whom he met frequently at the airport.
According to a Hindustan Times report, in 2021, Mehta told Gaikwad that he was starting a company on the orders of NCP(SP) chief Sharad Pawar and offered him a partnership. Mehta suggested naming one company after Gaikwad's daughter and the other after his son, claiming that Pawar would be a partner and boasting connections with high-profile politicians to gain Gaikwad’s trust. Mehta reportedly stated that ₹1 crore was needed to start the business.
Gaikwad Made Numerous Efforts, Paid ₹93 Lakh To Mehta
Believing Mehta, Gaikwad sold his flat, took out a loan from LIC and withdrew money from his Provident Fund to raise the required amount, hoping the investment would secure his children's future. He ended up paying Mehta ₹93 lakh. However, when Gaikwad questioned the delay in the business proceedings, Mehta claimed that Pawar had identified a 'Rahu Dosha' in Gaikwad's daughter's horoscope, advising a puja at Dakshineswar Kali Temple. Gaikwad performed the puja with his family, further trusting Mehta.
Mehta then had Gaikwad sign documents at Dindoshi court, claiming the company formation was underway. Eventually, Gaikwad realised that Mehta had used Sharad Pawar’s name to defraud him. Realising the deception, Gaikwad approached the Sahar police, who registered a case against Mehta for criminal breach of trust and cheating under sections 406 and 420 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), according to the report.
