Senior resident of Sevasi Road alleges long-running online fraud, police file case
Vadodara: A woman living near Colebra on Sevasi Road in Vadodara has accused a man of duping her of ₹23.19 lakh after forming a relationship through a digital singing application, Gotri police said. The complaint led to registration of a First Information Report (FIR) alleging cheating and criminal intimidation.
According to the police complaint, the victim, identified as Minuben Sadhi, first connected with the accused through the singing app in 2022. Their contact reportedly progressed to regular telephone conversations during which the man allegedly called her his mother and built an emotional rapport.
- Accused: named in the FIR as Hitesh Komallal Bhagora, a resident of Madhya Pradesh.
- Amount transferred: ₹23.19 lakh in total; the accused is said to have returned only ₹1.55 lakh, leaving ₹21.64 lakh unpaid.
- Police action: FIR registered at Gotri police station on charges of cheating and criminal intimidation; investigators are probing wider links.
Police said the accused allegedly persuaded the complainant that his mother needed urgent, costly surgery, prompting her to arrange funds. To raise the money, the victim is said to have pledged her gold jewellery with a finance firm and transferred the proceeds.
To allay fears, the complaint states, the accused produced a forged identity card and a written repayment agreement that specified a timeline for return of the money. Rather than honouring the undertaking, Bhagora is alleged to have escalated demands for more funds.
"When the complainant refused or said she was unable to send more money, the accused allegedly resorted to threats of suicide and warned that he would falsely implicate her in criminal cases if transfers stopped," the FIR reported.
The complaint says the threats continued, forcing the victim to make repeated payments. Ultimately, she remitted a total of ₹23.19 lakh, of which only ₹1.55 lakh was returned, leaving a balance of ₹21.64 lakh unpaid.
Investigation and local policing
Gotri police have registered the case and are investigating. Police officials told reporters they are tracing the accused across multiple cities and examining telecommunication and financial transaction records mentioned in the complaint. The FIR lists offences under sections relevant to cheating and criminal intimidation.
| Detail | Information from FIR |
|---|---|
| Complainant | Minuben Sadhi, resident near Colebra on Sevasi Road |
| Accused | Hitesh Komallal Bhagora (Madhya Pradesh resident) |
| Total money remitted | ₹23.19 lakh |
| Amount returned | ₹1.55 lakh |
| Alleged unpaid balance | ₹21.64 lakh |
The case highlights a pattern of fraud conducted via social and entertainment platforms, where perpetrators cultivate emotional bonds before making financial demands. Local police emphasised vigilance when transacting online with persons not known personally.
Residents and consumer groups in Vadodara have increasingly flagged such schemes to authorities in recent years, particularly where seniors are targeted through mobile apps and social platforms. The Gotri police said their probe will seek to establish the chain of communications and financial flows, and to identify any accomplices or forwarding accounts used to launder or transfer funds.
Those with information related to this case have been asked to contact the Gotri police station. The accused's current location and whether he is in custody were not disclosed in the FIR summary made available to the press.
Local context: Vadodara's expanding digital adoption among older residents — for entertainment, social contact and transactions — has prompted police advisories in the past urging verification before sending money and reporting suspicious approaches promptly.
