Mumbai: Fake Navy Officer Dupes Mobile Shop Owner of ₹4.44 Lakh

A shocking case of fraud has come to light from the Fort area, where a man posing as a naval officer allegedly duped a mobile shop owner of over ₹4 lakh by convincing him to transfer money under false pretences. A case has been registered at MRA Marg Police Station, and a search is underway to trace the accused.

According to police sources, the complainant, Pratik Navin Karia (31), runs a mobile and money transfer shop in the Fort area. Between July 25 and July 28, 2024, the accused, identified as Ravindra S. Rajvi, visited the shop dressed in a Navy uniform.

The accused claimed to be an authorised Navy personnel and requested the shop owner to transfer a large sum of money into a bank account, citing official reasons. Trusting his identity and uniform, the complainant transferred money in phases to an ICICI Bank account.

The transactions included ₹2,47,500, ₹1,18,000, and ₹75,000, amounting to a total of ₹4,40,500. After the transfers, the accused assured that the amount would be returned soon. However, he kept delaying repayment, raising suspicion.

Further inquiry revealed that the identity card shown by the accused was fake. The complaint states that including commission, the total fraud amounts to ₹4,44,660.

Based on the complaint, a case has been registered under Sections 316(2) and 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Police have launched a manhunt to apprehend the accused.

Police have urged citizens to remain vigilant and verify identities before engaging in financial transactions to avoid such frauds.