Mumbai’s Nagpada Police have achieved a major breakthrough against the notorious ‘Bolbachchan’ con gang, which targets unsuspecting victims by trapping them through smooth talk and superstition. In the latest case, the accused duped a woman by claiming that a ritual involving a coin would help remove problems from her home, eventually fleeing with her gold jewellery.
The incident occurred on November 2, 2025, when a woman residing in Surti Mohalla was on her way to the market. On Pir Khan Street, Nagpada, two unidentified men stopped her, took a coin from her and asked her to rub it on her palm and smell it. Convincing her that this act would eliminate troubles from her household, the accused exploited her belief and persuaded her to remove two gold bangles weighing five tolas, worth approximately ₹5 lakh, before disappearing from the spot.
Acting swiftly under the guidance of Senior Police Inspector Pradeep Kale and Police Inspector Baravkar (Crime), the detection team launched an intensive investigation. Investigating officer Dnyaneshwar Shendge and his team scrutinised footage from 50 to 60 CCTV cameras in the area. Technical analysis and CCTV inputs revealed that the accused had stayed at a guest house in Nagpada. Based on a mobile number obtained from the guest house, the accused’s location was traced to Amroha in Uttar Pradesh. Remarkably, the police identified the suspects within three hours of the crime.
A Nagpada Police team immediately left for Uttar Pradesh and, with the help of the local police, conducted a raid at the residence of Riyasat Shabbir Alvi (56) in Amroha at around 5 am on November 5. The accused attempted to flee on seeing the police but was overpowered and arrested.
Further investigation revealed that the stolen gold had been sold to a local jeweller by Najimfatma, the wife of accused Irshad Kalwa. She was brought under investigation and, on her disclosure, the police recovered 50.06 grams of gold worth ₹5.24 lakh from the jeweller, achieving 100 per cent recovery of the stolen property.
Habitual offender The main accused, Riyasat Shabbir Alvi, is a history-sheeter with more than half a dozen cases registered against him at Amroha and Didoli police stations under the Arms Act, NDPS Act and theft-related offences. He is also believed to be the leader of a local criminal gang.
Nagpada Police have appealed to citizens not to fall prey to strangers on the street and to avoid handing over valuables due to superstition or false assurances.