Mumbai: Conmen Posing as Mantralaya Officials Dupe Private Firm of Rs 6 Crore

A high-profile case of financial fraud has come to light in Bandra (West), Mumbai, where a businessman was duped of ₹6 crore by a group of accused who allegedly posed as senior officials from the Mantralaya and used forged government documents. Acting on a complaint filed by 45-year-old businessman Tufail Idris Khan, Bandra Police have registered a case against five individuals — Nitin Gupta, Ramesh Bansode, Balaji Pawar, Uddhav Bhamre, and Kaustubh Bhamre.

According to police sources, Khan is the owner of NDDS Private Limited, and one of the accused, Nitin Gupta, was associated with him as a labour consultant. Gupta is alleged to have introduced the other accused as senior bureaucrats, OSDs (Officer on Special Duty), and IAS officers from the Mantralaya.

The accused lured Khan with the promise of securing a government project worth ₹150 crore. To "process" the order, they demanded a hefty commission. Believing them to be legitimate, Khan arranged ₹6 crore through his relatives, friends, and business contacts. This money was reportedly handed over at locations near the Mantralaya, sometimes through vehicles to avoid suspicion.

In a further bid to win Khan’s trust, the accused allegedly provided a fake government resolution (GR) via pen drive, claiming the order had been approved. However, a later verification by experts revealed the documents were completely forged.

As the fraud started to unravel, Balaji Pawar and the other accused allegedly tried to silence Khan through threats and intimidation.

Eventually, Khan approached the police and filed a formal complaint. A case has been registered, and investigations are underway. The revelation that senior government identities were impersonated in a scam of such magnitude has sent shockwaves through administrative and business circles alike.