A private sector employee from Gondal in Gujarat's Rajkot district has approached the police, claiming he was swindled out of a staggering sum of more than Rs 1.37 crore. The victim was lured by promises of exceptionally high returns on his investments.
The Modus Operandi of the Scam
The complainant, identified as Ravi Ramoliya (31), a resident of Gondal village, filed a formal complaint with the Gondal City B Division police on Friday. He has named Sonal Dudhatra, her husband Urvish Patel, her brother Utsav Dudhatra, and other unknown individuals in the First Information Report (FIR).
According to the police document, Ramoliya first met Sonal Dudhatra in 2018 when they were colleagues at a private company. After she moved to a different job, she allegedly contacted him again in 2020. She reportedly told him that she and her brother were operating a profitable export-import business in Gondal and offered him an investment opportunity with returns between 8 to 10 percent.
Building Trust Before the Big Fraud
To establish credibility, the accused initially promised a monthly return of 4 percent on his investment. Ramoliya stated that he began by investing Rs 1 lakh. When he started receiving regular returns as promised, his trust grew. This encouraged him to pour significantly larger amounts of money into the scheme over time.
Driven by the apparent success of the initial investments, Ramoliya claimed he invested a total of Rs 1.37 crore. To arrange this enormous sum, he reportedly used his personal savings, borrowed funds from relatives, and even sold his house and a shed, placing complete faith in the accused.
Payments Stop, Threats Begin
The complainant informed the police that he received approximately Rs 60.11 lakh as returns over the period. However, the payments eventually ceased completely. After this, neither the promised high returns nor his principal investment amount was returned to him.
The financial transactions were conducted both digitally and in cash. Ramoliya transferred money online to Sonal Dudhatra's bank accounts with Bank of Baroda and Kotak Mahindra Bank. Additionally, he alleged that about Rs 28 lakh was paid in cash to her brother, Utsav Dudhatra. The operation reportedly functioned from an office in the Tulsi Square Complex near the Reliance petrol pump in Gondal, operating under the name "Kartavya In Corporation."
When Ramoliya persistently demanded his money back, the situation turned hostile. The accused allegedly gave him false assurances first and later resorted to threats. They warned him to withdraw his demands and cautioned him against going to the police.
Legal Action and Ongoing Investigation
Based on the detailed complaint, the Gondal police have registered a formal case. The accused have been charged under Sections 420 (cheating) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code. The investigation is now underway to trace all the individuals involved and unravel the full extent of the financial fraud.
This case highlights the risks associated with investment schemes promising unrealistically high returns. It serves as a cautionary tale for investors to thoroughly verify the credentials of any business or individual before committing large sums of money, especially when the offer seems too good to be true.
