Mumbai: In a cross-state operation, police have arrested two men from Rajasthan for allegedly cheating a Borivali-based chemical supplier out of ₹17.65 lakh by using counterfeit payment receipts. The accused, identified as Lalit Bisnoi, 26, and Vikas Bisnoi, 19, both residents of Dangiyawas village near Jodhpur, reportedly posed as representatives of a fictitious firm called Ramdev Industries. Meanwhile, the police clarified that the accused have no links to the infamous Bishnoi gang.
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According to the police, the duo placed orders for industrial chemicals between June 24 and July 1, claiming they were needed for wood finishing. They procured 62 barrels of ethyl acetate (13,020 kg) worth ₹16.03 lakh, along with seven barrels of mixed xylene (1,204 kg) valued at ₹1.62 lakh.
However, investigators suspect the chemicals were not meant for furniture or woodwork. “The consignment was likely diverted to clandestine drug manufacturing units,” said a senior officer from the Jodhpur police. While ethyl acetate is not a primary precursor for narcotics like MDMA, it is frequently used in lab-based extraction and purification processes, key steps in illicit drug production.
To build credibility, the accused allegedly used forged identity documents, including fake Aadhaar and PAN cards, alongside counterfeit letterheads and visiting cards. They also created a false trail by sending fabricated PhonePe screenshots and UTR (Unique Transaction Reference) numbers to the supplier, Nirmit Ajmera, to simulate genuine online payments.
The fraud came to light on July 27, when Ajmera, while reviewing payments for another order, realised that his current account had not received any credit from the accused. He formally lodged a complaint with the police on August 13.
A coordinated investigation was launched between Mumbai’s North Zone-2 team and Jodhpur’s East division. Cyber intelligence, mobile tower data, and physical surveillance played a key role in tracing the suspects. In a particularly cautious operation, two undercover officers from the District Task Force posed as locals and kept watch on the accused for two days before arresting them as they attempted to leave their village.
Police noted that a direct raid inside the village was ruled out due to the hostile local population. “Residents had previously turned violent and used women as human shields to block arrests,” said DCP Manishkumar Choudhary. He also clarified that the accused have no links to the infamous Bishnoi gang, but belong to a tight-knit group allegedly involved in procuring industrial solvents for drug syndicates.
Further investigation revealed that the duo opened fictitious accounts under company names like Shyam Industries and contacted at least 39 chemical firms across Maharashtra, Gujarat, Delhi, Rajasthan, and Haryana. To operate anonymously, they allegedly rented bank accounts from others by paying commissions ranging between ₹10,000 and ₹15,000, and obtained SIM cards using forged documents.
Both accused are currently in police custody, and authorities are probing how they managed to generate near-authentic-looking UPI confirmation messages. More arrests are expected as the trail widens across multiple states.
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