The Navghar Police have arrested a 45-year-old man for allegedly cheating divorced women by befriending them on matrimonial websites, posing as the son of an IPS officer and an NGO worker supporting widows and divorcees. The accused, identified as Viraj Bhosale, allegedly duped several women of lakhs of rupees by making false promises of marriage, government-scheme housing and jobs in the film industry.
In the most recent case, Bhosale is accused of cheating a Mulund-based woman of Rs 17.70 lakh. Police have seized his Mercedes car during the investigation. During interrogation, the accused told police that he does not have a permanent residence in Mumbai and has been living out of his car.
According to the police, the complainant, a 42-year-old graphic designer residing in Mulund, got divorced a decade ago. About four years ago, she had created a profile on a matrimonial website and was searching for a life partner. In September last year, she received a marriage proposal request, which she ignored. The same person sent another request in October, which she accepted.
The accused allegedly contacted her the next day, introducing himself as Viraj Bhosale, a resident of Pune. He claimed that his father was an IPS officer, his mother a physiotherapist, and that his sister lived in the UK. He further told the complainant that he was the chairman of an NGO, Stree Sutram Foundation, and claimed to have close connections with politicians and other influential figures in Maharashtra.
The victim alleged that Bhosale claimed to manage CSR funds, Nirbhaya funds and several government schemes, through which he provided financial assistance to divorced and widowed women and single mothers. He allegedly promised to help her secure affordable housing in Mumbai through these schemes, asking her to pay an initial amount of Rs 7 lakh.
Trusting him, the woman transferred money from her savings account. Subsequently, the accused allegedly demanded additional sums citing various charges. The victim took a personal loan and eventually transferred a total of Rs 17.70 lakh, either from her savings account or via GPay.
The complainant realised she had been cheated after the accused stopped responding to her WhatsApp messages and calls. She then approached the Navghar police station and registered a case on February 3 under sections 318(4), 352 and 351(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
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Based on the accused’s mobile phone location, police traced him to Versova and arrested him. He was produced before a court and remanded to police custody till February 15.
During the investigation, police found that Bhosale had allegedly cheated multiple women by making false promises of marriage or by misusing the pretext of government welfare schemes. His modus operandi involved targeting divorced women on matrimonial platforms, gaining their trust and then extracting money or valuables. Several cases have already been registered against him at police stations in Thane, Mumbai and with the Economic Offences Wing (EOW), a police official said.
“It appears that the accused had victimised several women and we are requesting the victim to overcome stigma and approach the police. He used many aliases names Yuraj, Rajveer, Viraj, Satish and Virendra” said Bharat Rathod, police sub inspector at the Navghar police station.
Manish Kumar Pathak is a dedicated journalist reporting for The Indian Express from Mumbai. His work demonstrates substantial Expertise and Authority across the complex field of crime reporting, with a strong focus on law enforcement actions, fraud, and cyber security challenges facing the metropolitan region.
Expertise & Authority
Affiliation: Reports for the nationally recognized daily, The Indian Express, providing his content with high Trustworthiness.
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Cyber & Financial Crime: Extensive coverage of sophisticated scams, including cases involving high-value cyber fraud, stock market manipulation scams, and fraudsters using government figures to gain trust.
Law Enforcement & Investigation: Reports directly on major police actions, including arrests made by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) in fraud cases (e.g., MHADA flat scams) and detailed coverage of murder and kidnapping investigations.
Major Incidents & Public Safety: Covers significant incidents like building collapses, road accidents, and public safety issues such as theft at large public events.
Defence & Maritime: Also covers key updates regarding the Indian Navy, including the commissioning of new vessels and strategic defense announcements.
Manish Kumar Pathak's consistent focus on crime, fraud, and the workings of the Mumbai police system establishes him as a trusted and authoritative source for critical news in Western India. ... Read More
