Dharavi Police have arrested a 36-year-old man, identified as Sonu Baba Pir Mohammad, for allegedly duping multiple individuals under the pretext of providing low-interest loans through mobile purchases. The accused, a resident of Airoli in Navi Mumbai, has more than 15 criminal cases registered against him at Shiv, Dongri, and Dharavi police stations.
According to officials, Sonu Baba lured people by promising personal loans at low interest rates. He would convince victims to purchase expensive mobile phones through loan schemes and then promise to sell the phones and return the loan amount in cash.
In a recent case, a 30-year-old woman from the Shiv area approached the accused seeking a loan of ₹80,000. Sonu, after reviewing her husband’s documents, assured her of a loan of up to ₹1.5 lakh. He then called the woman to a mobile phone shop in Dharavi, claiming that he would use her husband's documents to buy a phone on EMI, sell it, and hand over the proceeds to her.
Following this plan, the accused purchased an iPhone 15 using the documents, recorded a video while opening the mobile box, and then took the device away under the pretense of selling it. He told the complainant to return home and assured her the money would be delivered soon. However, she neither received the phone nor the promised loan amount.
Investigations have revealed that Sonu Baba had employed a similar modus operandi to cheat several others. He would target individuals in urgent need of loans, promising full cash return after reselling the EMI-purchased phones. The victims were then left to repay the loan EMIs without receiving any benefit.
Police suspect the accused may have defrauded many more individuals in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai areas. Further investigation is underway to identify other victims and uncover the full extent of the scam.