An Iraqi trading company has filed a formal complaint, alleging it was defrauded of nearly Rs 1.63 crore by a couple based in Gondal, Gujarat. The case involves advance payments for large consignments of groundnut and sesame that were never delivered, leading to accusations of criminal breach of trust and conspiracy.
The Alleged Export Fraud Unfolds
The complaint was filed by Ramkumar Nagnathan, a legal consultant from Madurai representing Wadi Alshahad Company of Baghdad, owned by Abdullah Razak Radhi. According to the filing, Radhi began receiving WhatsApp calls and messages in January 2024 from an Indian number. The caller identified herself as Sonal Patel from Gondal, who claimed she and her husband, Urvish Patel, were proprietors of Kartavya Incorporation, a firm dealing in sesame and groundnut exports.
To build trust, Sonal Patel allegedly sent her GST certificate, import-export documents, and photos and videos of stocked goods. This led to the signing of two contracts on February 12, 2025, for 108 tonnes of raw peanuts and 54 tonnes of hulled sesame, with a total value of $187,920 (approximately Rs 1.63 crore).
Payment Made, Communication Ceased
The agreed sum was transferred to Sonal Patel's Kotak Mahindra Bank account on March 12 and 13, 2025. Ramkumar stated that once the payment was secured, the Patels stopped responding clearly and failed to ship the promised goods. Subsequent requests for either delivery of the consignment or a refund of the advance payment allegedly went unanswered.
Following an initial complaint application filed by the company's representative, Mohammad Yusuf Ansari, at the B Division police station in Gondal, the couple transferred Rs 3 lakh to Ansari's account. However, this partial payment did not resolve the dispute.
Legal Action and Evidence
The complainants allege deliberate deception, claiming the couple never intended to supply the goods and acted with the sole purpose of extracting money from the foreign trader. The evidence submitted to support the case includes:
- Bank transfer records proving the transaction.
- WhatsApp chat histories from the negotiation period.
- Photos and videos of goods that were shared during the deal.
The legal team, empowered by a power of attorney from owner Abdullah Razak Radhi, is now pursuing the case in India, seeking justice for what they describe as a calculated export fraud.
