Mumbai: Fraudsters Exploit 74-Year-Old’s Illness, Cheat Her of ₹2.26 Crore

A shocking case of fraud has come to light in Nehrunagar, where an elderly woman suffering from illness and poor eyesight was duped of property, cash, and jewellery worth ₹2.26 crore.

According to the complaint filed at Nehrunagar Police Station, the victim, Jayashree Chavan (74), a retired employee, has been living in a vulnerable condition for the past few years due to memory loss and vision impairment. Her sister, Ashalata Chavan, passed away in 2018. During their service years, both sisters had accumulated properties, jewellery, and bank deposits.

The accused have been identified as Kadir Solanki, Jalaluddin Shaikh, Akbar Saudagar, and Yash Bhandari. Police said the group conspired to gain Jayashree’s trust by claiming her signature was required for a passport. On this pretext, they obtained her signature on a power of attorney document.

Later, misusing the document, they allegedly sold properties in Belapur, Virar, and Thane worth around ₹1.55 crore at prices much below market value. While the proceeds were initially deposited into Jayashree’s bank account, the accused linked the account to a mobile number and siphoned off around ₹65 lakh.

In addition, gold and silver ornaments worth nearly ₹6.87 lakh kept in a Godrej cupboard were also stolen.

The total misappropriation amounts to ₹2.26 crore, police said. Investigators have seized related documents and evidence, and a detailed probe is underway.