A Goregaon jeweller, Kushal Dalpatsingh Rathod, also known as Kamlesh Chauhan, and two accomplices have been arrested for allegedly defrauding over 90 individuals of approximately Rs4 crore. The scam involved enticing people with attractive schemes promising high returns on investments in jewellery and cash.
Rathod, 30, ran a jewellery store named Shri Jewellers in Santosh Nagar market, Goregaon East. He lured customers with offers such as bonuses, 50% off on jewellery making charges, and free hallmarking of gold. These schemes, which ran from 2023 until October 2024, convinced more than 90 people to invest in his business.
The main attraction was a special lottery draw scheduled for October 12, 2024. However, when victims arrived on that day, they found the store closed, and Rathod’s phone was switched off. Realizing they had been scammed, they reported the matter to Dindoshi police.
The case, which was registered under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), led to an investigation by DCP Smita Patil, Senior Inspector Ajay Aphale, and PSI Ajeet Desai.
Rathod fled to Rajasthan, where he purchased land and started a dhaba (restaurant) named “Jaisalmer Ki Jhalak And Restaurant” in Dhawal village, Jalore. On May 5, 2025, the police tracked him down and arrested him. Vinayak Maruti Mane, 44, and Sibaram Omiya Sawant, 47, his accomplices, were arrested in Mumbai on May 10.
Further investigation revealed that Rathod had melted down jewellery collected from customers and resold it through accomplices, including Mane and Sawant, who helped facilitate the fraud. Police are continuing to search for additional suspects involved in the scheme.
Chauhan avoided detection by frequently changing his mobile numbers and maintaining separate contacts for his associates and criminal dealings. After receiving a tip-off, the Dindoshi police worked with local authorities in Rajasthan to set a trap and arrested Rathod during a dinner visit to his restaurant.
All three arrested suspects were presented in court and remanded to police custody until May 13. The investigation is ongoing, and police are continuing their efforts to track down other suspects involved in the broader conspiracy.
