Thane: After the PMC bank, sob stories are pouring out of Goodwin Jewellers, which has allegedly left many investors in the lurch. By the last count, 54 complaints have been registered against the jewellery store owner under IPC section 420 (cheating) and section 406 (criminal breach of trust). The quantum of lost investment is pegged at Rs 1.80 crore.
Says Sanjay Biswas, one of the complainants, "I had deposited nearly Rs nine lakh. My brother in law is suffering from cancer and admitted at Tata hospital. I need money for his treatment.
Earlier, Goodwin staffers told me to come to the shop on October 22 and take the money. But on the assigned day I found the shop closed. So, I alerted my relatives to check out the Dombivli or Thane Goodwin outlet.
After they drew a blank, I went over to the owner’s house, where I found the door locked. I inquired with watchmen and neighbours and was informed that the entire family is out for the last one day.
Following which, I approached to police station and narrated the entire incident. The police asked to me to wait until October 26 as one signboard in the shop says that the shop will be open on October 26."
Senior police Inspector from Ramnagar police station S P Aaher said, "We have registered 25 cases of lost investment worth Rs 1.13 crore on Sunday. On Saturday, we registered 29 cases of lost investments worth 1.80 crore.
During the investigation, we learnt that the owners have left with all their belongings.’’ Other investors too panicked when they got the news about the stores downing their shutters. They suddenly faced the prospect of a dark Diwali.
Most of them rushed bleary eyed to the police station. Goodwin Jewellery Group has 12 branches in Thane, Navi Mumbai, Mumbai and Kerala, many of which are now shut.
A first information report names M Suneel Kumar, chairman of Goodwin Group; managing director, M Sudheer Kumar; and Manish Kundi, manager of the Dombivli branch of Goodwin Jewellers, as the accused.
On Saturday, hundreds protested outside Goodwin Jewellers store in Dombivli.
