Taxi driver duped of Rs 38L, one arrested

In his complaint to the police, Shaikh said, “In 2018, I came across Komal Paranjpe, who wanted me to ferry her to an orphanage.”

Since then, Paranjpe would often call Shaikh to ferry her. “In October 2020… Paranjpe came along with her friend Anil Vishnu Sawant. I was told that he is the son of IPS officer Vishnu Mayappa Sawant,” he added. To gain his trust, they took him outside Mantralaya, where an official — only identified as Pawar — arrived. “Pawar said (Sawant’s) problem will be resolved… following which Paranjpe gave him Rs 3.6 lakh,” Shaikh said in the statement. Subsequently, Paranjpe asked Shaikh if he could help them with cash. They also told Shaikh that Sawant’s father has a wine shop license. “He said that he is trying to transfer the ownership of the license in his name, following which he will sell it for Rs 1 crore and give me Rs 50 lakh for helping them with cash,” Shaikh told police.

Falling prey to their claims, Shaikh initially transferred Rs 50,000. As the accused demanded more money, he approached his younger brother, who ended up selling his house for 25 lakh and gave Shaikh the money. Further, Shaikh mortgaged gold ornaments and took loan from his friends.

“By the time they realised that there is no progress in the transfer of the license, they had transferred Rs 38 lakh,” said an officer.

Later, when Shaikh started asking them to return his money, Paranjpe and Sawant handed him a cheque of Rs 15 lakh. They asked him to not deposit the cheque until Paranjpe tells him. “When Shaikh threatened to lodge a police complaint, the two showed him some documents of a Kolhapur-based wine shop named Sawant Wines. They alleged that it is named after Sawant’s father,” said the officer.

When Shaikh took those documents to the excise office, he was informed that those are forged. He then lodged a police complaint.

Senior Inspector Rajiv Chavan said, “We have arrested Paranjpe and are trying to trace her accomplice.”