Mumbai: Two women dupe 200 of Rs 6.33 lakh

The Arnala police booked a Borivli-based government teacher and another woman in a cheating case, for allegedly duping over 200 small-scale businesswomen on the pretext of helping them avail the Pradhanmantri Mudra Loan by the government. On Friday, an FIR was registered at the Arnala police station against the teacher and her accomplice, who were previously booked and arrested by Borivli police in a similar offence in 2018. Police sources said that both accused have cheated more than 1,500 women in the city.

The victims gave Rs 3,000 each as processing fees for the loan

The main accused has been identified as Swayamjiya S Gorakshak and her accomplice was Radhika Alias Tejal Amat Rathod.

They duped around 211 women in Nalasopara and took around Rs 6.33 lakh from them. Police said the main accused, Gorakshak, forged the Pradhanmantri Mudra Loan department ID card and Tejal Rathod forged the bank ID card to win the trust of the people.

The complainant was identified as Pranita Vishwanath Meher, 26, a resident of Mograpada at Kalamb in Nalasopara West and working as a social worker in Arnala. Meher also runs “Mahila Bachat Gut”, where more than 200 women are running their own business.

Speaking with mid-day, Meher said, “In 2017, Gorakshak visited the office and told us that she was working for the Pradhanmantri Mudra Loan department. She said we could get a loan up to R2 lakh, without any interest. We had to pay R3,000 per person, as processing fees.”

“A few days later, Gorakshak arrived with another woman name Tejal Rathod, and she introduced herself as Vijaya Bank employee. Gorakhsak told us that she needs total 500 women to process the loan.
So, we shared this information with our village and around 211 women paid them R6,33,000. After taking the money, they stopped responding to our calls,” Meher explained, adding, “Finally, we met CP Sadanand Date and he helped us to register the case.

When contacted, senior inspector Raju Mane of Arnala police station said, “We have registered a case against the both accused, who are absconding. We will take action soon. We have registered the case under section IPC 420 (cheating) and 34.”