Crime Branch’s Unit 6 has arrested a 30-year-old fraudster who allegedly led a gang involved in a series of cheating cases across Mumbai and Thane, where unsuspecting victims—mostly senior citizens—were duped into parting with their gold ornaments in exchange for fake cash bundles. 

On September 25, around 1.50 pm, two men approached a woman on CG Gidwani Marg in Chembur. They engaged her in friendly conversation, claiming they had found a bundle of money wrapped in a blue handkerchief. The men convinced the woman to remove her gold mangalsutra as “surety” before handing her the supposed cash — only for her to discover later that the bundle contained waste paper.

After a case was registered under the relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at Chembur Police Station, crime branch unit 6 officers traced the prime accused, Rahul Kanhaiya Solanki, to his Dwarali Pada in Kalyan and arrested him.

A detailed probe revealed that Solanki was the ringleader of a cheating syndicate operating across within the jurisdictions of Mumbai, Thane, Navi Mumbai, and Mira-Bhayandar-Vasai-Virar police. So far, four cases registered at Chembur, Pant Nagar, Kanjurmarg and Kalwa police stations have been cracked with his network.

The accused has earlier been booked in similar cheating cases at Bhiwandi, Kolshewadi, and Badlapur police stations between 2018 and 2021.

He is also a member of the notorious inter-state Bavari Gang, known for violent robberies and burglaries.

Police said the gang targeted elderly citizens, often pretending to have found a cash bundle and persuading victims to hand over their gold as surety before vanishing with the ornaments. The police said this modus operandi is also called `Muttha Kaam`.

“They used emotional manipulation and false assurance to gain trust. The operation has not only solved four major cases but also led to full recovery of stolen valuables,” said Bharat Ghone, senior police inspector of crime branch unit 6.

Officers said more victims may come forward as the probe continues.

 ‘Bundle-of-money’ fraud: Modus operandi

• Fraudsters approach victims, usually near markets or banks, pretending to have found a cash bundle.
• They offer to “share” the money but ask for gold or jewellery as surety.
• The bundle is exchanged — but contains only waste paper.
• By the time the victim realises the fraud, the culprits have vanished.

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