3 min readMumbaiOct 23, 2023 03:47 PM IST
First published on: Oct 16, 2023 at 01:23 PM IST
Inspired by the Shahid Kapoor-starrer thriller web series ‘Farzi’, a graphic designer from Mumbai allegedly designed and printed 1,000 fake passes for a popular dandiya event in Borivali and planned to make at least Rs 30 lakh before the Mumbai police arrested him along with three of his associates.
A search is on to arrest two more members of the gang, officers said, adding that they also seized the fake passes and some equipment used for the crime.
The MHB Colony police arrested Karan Shah, 29, and his associates Darshan Gohil, 24, Paresh Nevrekar, 35, and Kavish Patil, 24 on Sunday. Shah allegedly printed fake passes for the popular Durgadevi Navratra Utsav Samiti event in Borivali, the actual tickets for which cost Rs 3,000-Rs 3,800. The accused, however, sold the duplicate passes for around Rs 2,600, the police said.
“During interrogation, Shah admitted that he was inspired by Shahid Kapoor’s web series ‘Farzi’ to make duplicate passes of the event and earn quick money,” stated a police officer. In the series, Kapoor’s character is an artist who prints counterfeit currency.
How the fraud came to light
According to the police, original passes for the event were being sold from the organiser’s authorised stall at Kutchi Ground, New Link Road in Borivali (West). On Saturday, four to five youths arrived at the stall and told the representatives that they had bought some passes for the event and wished to check if they were indeed original. The event representatives checked the passes and found them to be fake.
They were also informed that the serial numbers printed on the passes were not yet available for sale, as per the FIR. The representatives then found out that the youths had bought the passes from Darshan Gohil.
FIR against mastermind, accomplices
The event organiser then approached MHB Colony police station on Saturday and filed a complaint alleging fraud and forgery. Sensing that the fraud could be much bigger and to prevent further instances of cheating, senior police inspector Sudhir Kudalkar, under the guidance of DCP Ajay Kumar Bansal, formed a police team comprising PSI Dr Deepak Hinde, Mangesh Kirpekar Mukesh Kharat, and others. They soon arrested four people, including the mastermind Karan Shah.
“Shah is smart and had not revealed his name and address to many people. However, we managed to arrest him,” said Kudalkar.
‘Gang planned to make Rs 30 lakh’
A total of 1,000 passes have been seized from the gang, indicating that they planned to make around Rs 30 lakh, the police said. They also increased the price of the passes as the event drew closer. The officers also seized 1,000 holograms, printing equipment, laptops and other articles, together worth around Rs 35.10 lakh. A search is on to nab two more accused.
The MHB Colony police arrested Karan Shah, 29, and his associates for allegedly printing fake passes for the popular Durgadevi Navratra Utsav Samiti event in Borivali. (File photo) 
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