in a shocking case of fraud and dacoity, two individuals were arrested by the Navi Mumbai police on suspicion of scamming a woman out of Rs28 lakh in a fake gold deal. The woman, a 36-year-old resident of Nerul, claimed that she was offered the opportunity to purchase half a kilogram of gold at a price far below the market rate, which ultimately led to her losing a significant amount of money.
The woman filed a complaint, stating that she was contacted by one of the arrested individuals, Rakesh Shivaji Shingte (39), who promised to sell her gold worth Rs27.81 lakh. He claimed that the deal was far cheaper than the current market price. The victim was convinced to proceed with the transaction and was driven to Sanpada station by Shingte and his accomplice, Roopesh Subash Sapkale (42), on May 18.
However, upon arrival at the station, the woman was threatened by a group of individuals who appeared suddenly. They forcefully snatched the bag containing her money and fled the scene in the car. The woman was left in shock and reported the incident to the authorities.
Following an investigation, the police managed to arrest Rakesh Shingte and Roopesh Sapkale in connection with the scam. Authorities are now working to track down the remaining suspects involved in the incident.
The Navi Mumbai police have stated that the crime was a carefully orchestrated scam involving fake gold deals and threats, leading to the victim being robbed of a substantial amount of money. Investigations are ongoing, and efforts are being made to apprehend the other perpetrators involved.
This case highlights the increasing prevalence of scams where fraudsters prey on individuals looking for “too-good-to-be-true” deals, particularly in high-value sectors like gold. Police have urged the public to exercise caution when engaging in transactions with strangers, especially when the deal appears suspicious or unusually lucrative.
In a separate case, police in Ghaziabad reported the arrest of a woman who, along with her family, fabricated a story about a dacoity involving the theft of 40 tolas (400 grams) of gold and silver jewellery. The woman, identified as Deepika Tyagi (32), was working with her parents to create a false narrative, leading to a case of stolen jewellery.
