What began as a seemingly friendly car deal turned into a nightmare for a 28-year-old Ola driver from Mumbai`s Dadar area, who claims he was cheated of Rs 1.59 lakh by an alleged smooth-talking fraudster.

The accused, Akash Sudam Bidve, allegedly lured the victim with promises of a cheap Ertiga car with a valid taxi permit — and a “special friendship discount” — before vanishing with the money.

The complainant lives with his parents and brother in Old BDD Chawl, Dadar East. His father is a Police Sub-Inspector with Mumbai Traffic Police, and the driver works for the Ola cab service to support the family. The story began when he spotted a WhatsApp status posted by Bidve in July, advertising a white Ertiga for sale.

Bidve reportedly appeared trustworthy, meeting the family at their home and promising to handle all bank paperwork for the car. Over two weeks, the victim paid Rs 1.59 lakh in installments via cash and Google Pay, believing he was securing a legitimate vehicle. To prove his credibility, Bidve even showed the car at a supposed “bank godown” in Kurla.

“A ‘bank godown’ is a storage facility where banks keep vehicles or assets under loan, but scammers often misuse the term to make fake deals appear legitimate,” an official explained.

But soon, the friendly facade disappeared. Bidve stopped responding, giving excuses of a family emergency, and later threatened the driver, saying, “Even if the police catch me, I’ll be out in 15 days. You can’t do anything to me.”

The family later discovered that Bidve was already accused in a similar car fraud case registered at Badlapur Police Station, where six other victims had reportedly been conned.

Shocked and betrayed, the victim lodged a formal complaint at Bhoiwada Police Station on Saturday. Police officials said the case is under investigation, and officers are looking into whether Bidve has links to other fraudulent vehicle deals across Mumbai.

Source