A shocking case of fraud involving ₹2 crore under the pretext of forex trading has come to light in the Govandi area. The Shivajinagar Police have registered a case of cheating against a couple, identified as Zakir Naseem Khan and Ayesha Zakir Khan. Following the scam, the duo fled the scene, prompting the police and the local crime branch to launch a special operation to apprehend them.
According to the complainant, who resides in Shivajinagar with his wife and three children, he was introduced to Zakir Khan in October 2023 by a friend. Zakir claimed to own a forex trading business with its headquarters in Dubai and assured high returns on investments. He convinced many locals in Govandi to invest crores of rupees in his company, stating that the transactions were legal and had yielded substantial profits for others.
Trusting Zakir’s assurances, the complainant invested ₹10 lakh through Zakir and his wife Ayesha. He was provided with a mobile application to track the investment, which initially showed significant returns. However, in October 2024, when the complainant attempted to withdraw some funds due to financial needs, he was told there were technical issues. By November, all data on the app was deleted.
When questioned, Zakir claimed to have all investor data but soon stopped responding to calls. The complainant later discovered that the couple had stopped providing returns on investments. Between October 2023 and November 2024, the complainant had invested a total of ₹13.6 lakh, trusting Zakir and Ayesha.
During investigations, it was revealed that Zakir and Ayesha had duped 33 investors, collectively embezzling ₹2.09 crore. While initial returns were provided to gain trust, the payments eventually stopped. Investors began raising concerns, but the couple cut off communication, switched off their phones, and fled.
After the scam came to light, the affected investors approached the Shivajinagar Police, who registered a case of embezzlement and fraud against Zakir and Ayesha Khan. A special operation is underway to locate the accused, and officials suspect the number of complainants and the fraud amount may rise as more victims come forward.
This incident serves as a cautionary tale for investors. Authorities have urged people to verify the authenticity of investment schemes and exercise due diligence before putting their money into high-return promises like forex trading.