Dumas police have arrested a caterer, Paresh Trivedi, for allegedly cheating a family by accepting advance payments for a wedding order and disappearing days before the ceremony.
According to the FIR, Prakash Patel (57) had arranged his daughter’s wedding on November 22 at his residence in Bhimpore village. Acting on a local reference, he placed an order with Trivedi for 1,500 plates at Rs230 per plate.
The groom’s father, Harshad Patel, also booked Trivedi for 1,000 plates at Rs207 per plate. Together, both families paid Rs3.06 lakh as advance against a total bill of Rs5.52 lakh.
Trouble began when Prakash tried contacting Trivedi on November 20, only to find his phone switched off. A visit to his Amroli residence revealed he had moved eight months earlier. With the wedding just days away, the family arranged another caterer at the last moment, incurring additional expenses and compromising on the planned menu.
After the ceremony, Prakash traced Trivedi to Shiv Darshan Society in Amroli. Upon enquiry, he learned from neighbours that Trivedi had a questionable financial reputation. Following a complaint lodged on February 11, Dumas police registered an FIR and arrested the accused.
Inspector N V Bharwad confirmed that investigations are underway to determine whether Trivedi defrauded other victims and how the advance money was used.
