In a shocking case of fraud, a hotelier from Malvani was duped of nearly ₹60 lakh by two conmen who promised to help his son clear the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) examination. The Malvani Police have arrested one of the accused, who posed as a CID officer, while the other accomplice remains absconding.
Police identified the arrested accused as Yakub Gafur Shaikh, who had been impersonating a CID officer. His associate, Vijay Chaudhary, who introduced himself as a senior official in the UPSC examination process, has been declared wanted. According to police, Chaudhary misled the victim by claiming that the exam results were under his control.
The complainant, Irshad Khan, a hotelier living in Malvani, Malad, runs a hotel in the same locality. His son Saddam, a commerce graduate, had attempted the UPSC exam four times but failed each time. While preparing for his fifth attempt, Irshad Khan came in contact with Yakub Shaikh, who frequently visited his hotel and claimed to be a CID officer.
During conversations, Shaikh assured Khan that his son could pass the UPSC exam with the help of his “contacts.” He introduced Khan to Vijay Chaudhary, allegedly a senior UPSC official based in Delhi. Chaudhary claimed that he could influence the results and demanded money in return.
To win Khan’s trust, Shaikh arranged phone calls between Khan and Chaudhary, during which Chaudhary introduced himself as a Delhi Commissioner and UPSC’s chief official. Believing them, Khan paid large sums in both cash and online transfers.
Over time, Khan handed over a total of ₹60 lakh to the duo. Despite repeated payments, his son failed the examination again. When Khan questioned them, the accused gave excuses and further demanded more money, even citing his son’s religion as a reason for rejection.
Realising he had been cheated, Khan lodged a complaint with Malvani Police. A case of criminal breach of trust and cheating was registered against Shaikh and Chaudhary.
Following the FIR, Shaikh went absconding but was later arrested. He hails from Mhasrang village in Kolhapur’s Bhudargad taluka and had been living in Malvani, posing as a CID officer with alleged connections to IAS and IPS officers.
After his arrest, Shaikh was produced before the court, which remanded him to judicial custody. Meanwhile, efforts are on to trace co-accused Vijay Chaudhary, who continues to remain at large.