Mumbai couple poses as international gold traders, dupe many of lakhs

His victims include a tailor, a fast-food stall owner and a vegetable vendor; police appeal to citizens to come forward if duo has cheated them

The Borivli police have arrested a couple who cheated multiple people across the city, with the promise of high returns on gold investments. The victims, who have come forward so far, lost Rs 35 lakh, said officers. The Economic Offences Wing had arrested the couple in 2015 for a similar scam, but they were released on bail later.

Police sources said Vaishali alias Priti Jain alias Pinky Damania, 47, and her husband Jignesh Damania claimed to be international gold traders, and convinced their target to give their gold ornaments for investment. The couple told the victims that they would give the gold ornaments to the Customs and get raw gold in return, which they would convert in carat and sell it at market rate. They promised to pay the profits in the process to their victims monthly, sources added.

Damanias evaded arrest until February 26, because they rented apartments in someone else’s name. After every crime, they left the rented house, sources said. They don’t even own a bank account, officers said. Borivli police received a call on February 26, about the Damanias fleeing in an auto, said police inspector Namdev Jadhav. The couple was currently staying in a flat in Mira Road. Police said they have so far received eight complaints, adding that the cheated amount could run in crores.

The arrest was made on the complaint of Vidhaya Gaddam, 41, who had ‘invested’ gold ornaments worth Rs 4.2 lakh a couple of years back. Umesh Vaja, a tailor, lost Rs 11.50 lakh,  Amitkumar Gupta, 39, a fast-food stall owner lost Rs 8.70 lakh, a vegetable vendor lost Rs 3 lakh. Malabar Hill police have a similar case against the duo for duping one Hina Tushar Mehta of Rs 35.50 lakh, another officer said. Borivli police have the duo’s custody till March 2 and appealed to any probable victims to come forward, said Jadhav.

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