A 29-year-old farmer from Nashik has fallen prey to a massive fraud of Rs 1.44 crore after being promised a liquor shop licence in Navi Mumbai, police said on Tuesday. The accused, a resident of Kalyan in Thane district, allegedly assured the farmer that he could arrange the transfer of ownership of a liquor shop in Panvel. Convinced by the offer, the farmer, who hails from Niphad in Nashik district, agreed to the deal. Believing the accused’s claims, he went ahead and invested the money with the hope of acquiring the licence in his name.
According to officials from the MFC police station, the farmer and his brother paid the accused Rs 1.44 crore in several installments between July 2024 and January 2025. Out of the collected sum, the accused reportedly transferred Rs 61 lakh to the actual owner of the shop but siphoned off the remaining Rs 83 lakh. Despite receiving such a large amount, he failed to ensure the licence transfer. When the farmer began raising questions, the accused attempted to placate him by issuing cheques. However, these cheques bounced, which further exposed the alleged fraud.
The victim then realized he had been cheated, as neither the licence transfer was completed nor the amount refunded. Left with no option, he lodged a formal complaint with the police. Following this, an FIR was registered against the accused on August 23 under Section 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which pertains to cheating. Investigators confirmed that the accused had misappropriated the funds. Police have begun a detailed probe into the matter and are verifying whether more individuals were targeted in a similar manner.