Mumbai: Woman Duped of Rs 17 Lakh in Santacruz on Pretext of Marriage, Boyfriend Arrested

A shocking case of cheating has come to light from the Santacruz area, where a young woman was allegedly duped of nearly ₹17 lakh by her boyfriend on the pretext of marriage. The accused, identified as Chaitanya Nilesh Gawde, has been arrested by Vakola Police following the registration of a cheating and criminal breach of trust case against him. He is currently in police custody and is being interrogated.

According to the police, the 27-year-old complainant resides with her mother in Andheri and works in a private company. Earlier, the family had been living in Santacruz, but due to redevelopment of their residence, they shifted to rented accommodations in Santacruz and later to Panvel in Navi Mumbai before finally relocating to Andheri a few months ago.

The complainant’s father had passed away eight years ago and had invested some money in fixed deposits, which was later transferred to her mother’s bank account.

Three years ago, the woman became acquainted with Gawde, a driver by profession and a resident of Goregaon. Their friendship eventually turned into a romantic relationship. Gawde frequently visited her residences in Santacruz and Panvel and proposed marriage to her, which she accepted. During this period, he allegedly gained the trust of both the woman and her mother.

Police said Gawde claimed that he was about to secure a major business deal worth ₹1 crore and would receive a substantial payment soon. Citing delays in receiving the money, he began borrowing funds from the complainant and her mother. Trusting him, the woman’s mother allegedly handed over ₹17,46,500 in cash in instalments between May 2024 and February 2025.

In addition, Gawde reportedly took the complainant’s scooter for his work purposes, which he later gave to a friend.

From September 2024 onwards, Gawde allegedly moved back to stay with his parents and stopped visiting the complainant. When she attempted to contact him, he failed to respond. Upon repeatedly demanding the return of the money and scooter, he allegedly avoided her with various excuses and continued to lure her with promises of marriage.

Realising that she and her mother had been cheated under the pretext of marriage and a fake ₹1 crore deal, the woman approached Vakola Police and lodged a complaint.

Taking serious note of the matter, Vakola Police registered a case of cheating and arrested Gawde. Further investigation is underway.