Police look for woman, daughter booked for cheating investors

MUMBAI: Khar police launched a manhunt for a motherdaughter duo from Kalyan for allegedly cheating a businessman to the tune of ₹63.72 lakh on the pretext of investing the amount in 34% share of their shipping company. The duo was out on bail when they went absconding.

Police lodged a first information report (FIR) against Ragini and Mansi Khandelwal after the complainant, Ravi Jaisingh, submitted a written application to the police in March.

According to Jaisingh, his acquaintance Rashid Agarwal had introduced him to Raju Naik who claimed to have 41% share in a company named Shree Tirupati Balaji Marine Enterprises Ltd which was based in Kalyan Shipyard and manufactured heavy infrastructure vessels and tug boats.

Naik took Jaisingh to the shipyard and asked him to invest ₹50 lakh in the same firm, however, the businessman declined. Later Naik introduced him to Mansi Khandelwal who had 49% shares in the company.

Police officers said that Mansi asked Jaisingh to invest the money to own 34% share of the company.

“An MOU was also signed by the accused to the effect,” said an officer from Khar police station.

Under this pretext, the mother-daughter duo had extracted ₹63.72 lakh from Jaisingh between 2018 and 2020 and then refused to give him the shares in March 2021. Jaisingh then approached Khar police to lodge a complaint. In February the duo was arrested by Andheri Police for allegedly cheating people of crores of rupees on the pretext of investing in shares of shipyard.

They have allegedly duped several investors using the same modus operandi.

Acting on the complaint, a probe was initiated after which the police learnt that the modus operandi of the women was to ask businessmen to invest in ships, which could attract monthly returns in lakhs and then refuse to give them their share.

“Since Ragini and Mansi got bail on April 23, the duo is absconding,” added the police officer.

THE DUO WAS OUT ON BAIL WHEN THEY WENT ABSCONDING, SAID POLICE. THEY ALLEGEDLY LURED PEOPLE TO INVEST IN SHARES OF A SHIPPING FIRM