A Mumbai-based chartered accountant lost R30 lakh to fraudsters who had lured him with the prospect of buying dirt mixed with gold dust that was supposed to be worth R2.5 crore. This sum would have fetched over 500 grams of gold in the market, however, the CA ended up with a sackload of worthless dirt.  

One of the fraudsters who gave his name as Mohan Chaudhary, a resident of Haryana, had systematically won the trust of the CA over several months after their first meeting on a train to Jaipur in May 2023. According to police sources, the CA, who is a resident of Kandivali stated to the police, “In May, while traveling to Jaipur with my wife on the Garib Rath Express, I met an individual who introduced himself as Mohan Chaudhary, a resident of Haryana. During their conversation, Chaudhary claimed to be a corporator and was involved in the business of buying and selling cattle across the country. The two exchanged contact information.”