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This is an archive article published on November 25, 2024
‘Spiritual leader’ booked in Mumbai for duping shop owner of gold worth Rs 2 lakh
During the ritual, the “spiritual leader” requested the complainant to bring his gold ornaments, which the latter wrapped in a red cloth and placed in a designated worship space.
The complainant had known Gopal Das Baba for over a decade as the accused frequently visited his shop offering advice and the 32-year-old man used to give him money occasionally, police said.
A self-proclaimed spiritual leader was booked for allegedly duping a footwear shop owner of gold ornaments worth Rs 2 lakh in Mumbai’s Nehru Nagar, police said Monday.
According to the 32-year-old shop owner, the accused, identified as Gopal Das Baba, promised to alleviate his financial struggles through a ritual, on the pretext of which the latter stole his gold ornaments.
The complainant had known Gopal Das Baba for over a decade as the accused frequently visited his shop offering advice and the 32-year-old man used to give him money occasionally, police said.
On November 18, Gopal Das Baba allegedly called the complainant to his home in Nehru Nagar, assuring him that he could resolve his problems. The accused offered to conduct a “vastu puja” to improve the complainant’s fortunes.
During the ritual, the “spiritual leader” requested the complainant to bring his gold ornaments, which the latter wrapped in a red cloth and placed in a designated worship space.
Gopal Das Baba left the location by the end of the day with the gold ornaments saying that he would return them on November 19 after finishing the ritual. According to police, the accused returned on November 21 and gave the 32-year-old man the red cloth containing the ornaments, instructing him to unwrap it only later that night.
When the complainant opened the red cloth later, he found that the the ornaments have been replaced with two betel nuts, wheat grains, and a piece of paper. When the shop owner tried to contact Gopal Das Baba, his phone was switched off, the FIR said.
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Following this, on November 22, the 32-year-old man filed a complaint at Nehru Nagar police station, based on which a case of cheating was registered.
According to investigators, they are tracking down the suspect, using call data records and circulating his image among their sources.
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