Mumbai: Man Dupes Seven of ₹91 Lakh on Pretext of Securing Government Contracts; Case Registered

A shocking fraud case has come to light where a man allegedly cheated seven individuals of approximately ₹91 lakh by falsely claiming close links with political leaders and senior officials in the Mantralaya, promising to secure government contracts and funds.

Based on complaints, the Marine Drive Police have registered a case of cheating and criminal breach of trust against the accused, identified as Satish Sopanrao Kadam.

According to police sources, while seven complainants have officially reported the fraud so far, Kadam is suspected to have duped several others using a similar modus operandi. Authorities believe the total fraud amount could increase as more victims may come forward.

One of the complainants, Hanumant Laxmanrao Wadje, a businessman and native of Naigaon (Sujlegaon, Ikalimor) in Nanded district, came in contact with Kadam in January 2024. Kadam, a resident of Umri (Shelgaon) in Nanded, gradually gained Wadje’s trust by claiming strong connections with influential political figures and senior bureaucrats in key departments such as Urban Development and Social Justice.

Kadam allegedly promised to secure lucrative government contracts and the necessary funding, stating that the deals would yield substantial profits but required initial investment. Believing his claims, Wadje paid him ₹31.5 lakh in installments.

Similarly, other victims were also lured. Raju Rathod was duped of ₹8 lakh, Ramrao Gema Rathod of ₹10 lakh, Vishwajit Anand Patil of ₹5 lakh, Balaji Patil Bamne of ₹10.5 lakh, and Devendra Vilas Kadu of ₹12 lakh. In total, Kadam collected ₹90.90 lakh through cash and online transactions between January 2024 and April 2026.

Despite collecting the money, Kadam failed to deliver any government contracts or work over the past two years. When the victims demanded their money back, he issued cheques which later bounced. Soon after, Kadam went absconding.

Realizing they had been cheated, Wadje along with other victims approached Marine Drive Police Station and lodged complaints. Acting on the complaints, police have registered an FIR against Kadam and launched a special operation to trace and arrest him.

Police have also appealed to other potential victims of Kadam to come forward and contact Marine Drive Police, as investigations suggest that more people may have been defrauded in a similar manner.