Serial matrimonial swindler who posed as ISRO scientist in police custody

In a case registered at Yerawada police station on January 10, a 43-year-old HR executive working for a software company was cheated of Rs 26 lakh between June and September. Using a fake profile under the name Swapnil Warule, Mhatre posed as an ISRO scientist and called the victim saying he was interested in her profile.
To gain the victim’s trust, he sent her a fake biodata, ISRO identity card and Aadhar card. He also shared fake information about his family. Trusting the information he shared, the victim shared her professional, personal and family information.

As the two started talking, the suspect promised to get married to her on February 14, 2026. Mhatre did not just speak to the victim on phone but also met her in person in Pune on multiple occasions. He promised to purchase a plot jointly with her, saying that it will secure the future of the victim’s teenage daughter. He claimed the plot was Rs one crore and that he would pay around Rs 80 lakh. Mhatre even went to the bank with the victim to take a personal loan. The victim ended up sending a total of Rs 26 lakh to Mhatre.

During this period, Mhatre used to transfer small amounts to the victim and her mother to gain their trust. Late last year, the victim received a call from Nashik police that some amount received by them had come from a fraud. When the victim inquired, she found out that it was from a scam in which a woman from Nashik was swindled by a man posing as an ISRO scientist. It was at this point that the victim realised she had been cheated.

Yerawada police have taken custody of Mhatre and also managed to freeze Rs 21 lakh from the amount he had defrauded the victim of. Mhatre has also been investigated by Wakad police in Pimpri Chinchwad for cheating a 30-year-old IT professional for Rs 42 lakh. Probe revealed that Mhatre used proceeds of the crime to gamble in casinos in Goa.