A daring daylight robbery in Mumbai’s Kurla area has raised serious concerns over law and order in the city, after a jewellery trader was duped of ₹15 lakh by a gang posing as police officers. The accused allegedly lured the victim with an offer of gold at 2% below market price and executed the crime with meticulous planning.
According to police, the complainant, Darshan Kothari, runs a jewellery business under the name “Jainam Gold” in Kalbadevi. On the night of April 7, he received a call through an acquaintance, informing him that a person was willing to sell 100 grams of gold at a price 2% lower than the market rate. Finding the deal attractive, Kothari agreed to meet the sellers the next day.
Later that night, the victim spoke to three individuals—identified as Sahil, Nikhil and Adarsh—on a conference call. The accused reportedly spoke in a professional manner and gained the jeweller’s trust. It was decided that the deal would take place in Kurla on April 8.
At around 1:30 pm on April 8, Kothari reached Kurla railway station carrying ₹15 lakh in cash. Nikhil and Adarsh were already present at the spot. Shortly after, another accused, identified as Vikas Agarwal, arrived and showed the gold, suggesting it be tested.
On the pretext of heavy crowd, the group made the victim sit in a car and drove towards Subhash Chowk. From there, Kothari was taken on foot towards Dairy Road, where the final stage of the plan unfolded.
At the location, Vikas Agarwal asked to inspect the cash. As soon as the victim handed over the bag, an Innova car suddenly arrived. Two men stepped out, dressed and behaving like police personnel, carrying fibre batons. They sternly ordered everyone to get into the vehicle.
Within moments, Vikas Agarwal fled with the cash-filled bag in the car, accompanied by the other accused. The vehicle sped away towards the SCLR route.
The act appeared so convincing that the victim initially believed it to be a genuine police operation and did not resist. However, when he later found the accused’s phone switched off and received a WhatsApp call offering to return only ₹3 lakh, he realised he had been cheated.
Based on the complaint, Nehru Nagar Police have registered a case and launched an investigation. Officials are examining CCTV footage, tracking the vehicle used in the crime, and analysing mobile locations of the suspects.
Police suspect the involvement of an organised gang that targets jewellers and individuals dealing in large cash transactions using similar tactics. Further investigation is underway.