Bhojpuri actress Akanksha Awasthi and husband accused of duping Customs officer of Rs 11.5 crore with a Rs 300 crore lure

Akanksha Awasthi

In a shocking case of financial fraud, a 52-year-old customs clearance agent from Ghatkopar has allegedly been cheated of Rs 11.5 crore after being lured with promises of access to a massive cash reserve of Rs 300 crore purportedly stored in a warehouse in Bihar. The Pant Nagar Police have registered an FIR in the matter and initiated an investigation, with the case expected to be taken up by the Economic Offences Wing due to the scale of the fraud.

Akanksha Awasthi accused of duping

The complainant, identified as Hitesh Kantilal Ajmera, runs a customs clearance firm based in Sakinaka, Andheri East. According to the police complaint, Ajmera was introduced to the accused through one of his employees in early 2024. The accused, Shantilal Gopal Patel, claimed to own land in North Goa and initially sought Ajmera's help in finding potential investors, promising him a lucrative commission.

Patel later introduced Ajmera to Vivekkumar Umeshkumar Sinha, also known as Abhishekkumar Singh Chauhan, and his wife Akanksha Awasthi, who was presented as a Bhojpuri film actress. The couple allegedly claimed that Sinha had access to nearly Rs 300 crore in cash locked inside boxes at a godown in Bettiah, located in Bihar's West Champaran district. They told Ajmera that the money could be released only after clearing certain legal and property-related dues.

In return for financial assistance, the accused allegedly promised Ajmera an interest-free loan of Rs 200 crore within a short period. Trusting their claims and supporting documents, including notarised agreements, Ajmera reportedly made an initial payment of Rs 50 lakh in March 2024. He later travelled to Patna with Patel and Sinha, where they introduced him to a man claiming to be the godown owner, who demanded Rs 11 crore to release the cash.

All about the scam

Believing the assurances, Ajmera transferred the money in multiple instalments, bringing the total amount paid to Rs 11.5 crore. However, during a subsequent visit, Sinha allegedly disappeared after stepping out briefly, switched off his phone, and became unreachable. Repeated attempts to contact the accused failed, leading Ajmera to realise he had been duped.

Following this, Ajmera approached the police, alleging cheating, criminal breach of trust, and forgery. Police officials stated that efforts are underway to trace the accused and verify the authenticity of the documents and claims related to the alleged cash hoard. The investigation is ongoing.