26-year-old conman who duped over 40 women held in Mumbai

TWO MONTHS AGO, A CASE OF CHEATING WAS REGISTERED AGAINST SHAIKH BY AN 18-YEAROLD WOMAN. HE HAD APPROACHED HER NEAR BANDRA STATION

MUMBAI: A serial conman who cheated over 40 women in Mumbai has been arrested by Agripada police. The accused, a site manager who has been committing the crime since 2008, was arrested for the first time.

Accused Noor Sahab Shaikh, 26-years-old, used to randomly locate victims, befriend them and later ask them to marry him. Shaikh then used to take money from them on the pretext of starting a business; after getting the desired amount, he would start ignoring the victims.

Currently living at a construction site in Bandra, Shaikh’s gang comprised two more accused. Police alleged the accused had been duping woman since 2008.

Two months ago, a case of cheating was registered against him by an 18-year-old woman. Shaikh approached her near Bandra station.

An officer from Agripada police station said, “The modus operandi of the accused was that he would approach any girl he felt would fall for his claims. He would ask her to let him make a call from her phone as his phone’s battery had drained out.”

Instead, Shaikh would give a missed call to his number and then smooth-talk the girl.

“Later, the accused would start calling her or chat with her over WhatsApp, eventually having an affair with her. Following which, on false claims of marrying her, the accused would allege that in order to approach her parents he needs to start a business. To help him, the girl would offer gold ornaments — in one case, a girl have gave him 350 grams of gold. The accused had asked for `50,000 in cash but as she didn’t have the money, she gave away her parents’ savings,” said an officer.

However, after the accused started ignoring her calls, the victim realised she had been duped, after which she informed her parents and approached police.

“After the case was registered, we started seeking his call data records. We called him to Bandra on the pretext of paying him money and then nabbed him,” said an officer.

The accused has been booked for cheating under relevant sections and remanded to police custody. Police are on the lookout for his third accomplice.