27 February,2026 07:44 PM IST | Mumbai | Amarjeet Singh
The accused allegedly extorted Rs 96.97 lakh from multiple victims, police said. Representational Pic/File
A 34-year-old man posing as an Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) scientist was held in Navi Mumbai city of Maharashtra for allegedly cheating women on matrimonial apps, police said on Friday.
According to the police, Navi Mumbai Crime Branch has arrested man accused of using matrimonial apps to allegedly sexually exploit and financially cheat highly educated women.
The accused allegedly extorted Rs 96.97 lakh from multiple victims and spent most of the money at casinos in Goa, police said.
The arrest was carried out under the guidance of Milind Bharambe, Commissioner of Navi Mumbai Police, who had directed officials to solve pending crimes against women, officials said.
According to investigators, the accused used 12 fake names on matrimonial platforms. Online, he claimed to be a scientist with the ISRO and also posted forged identity cards of ISRO and the Public Works Department (PWD).
He displayed photographs with a luxury Mercedes car and projected an affluent lifestyle to attract women, particularly doctors, engineers and bank officers.
However, police revealed that in reality he is a serial offender with 10 previous cheating cases registered against him in Mumbai, Thane and Pune.
After his recent arrest, he was produced before a court that has remanded him to police custody until March 4, 2026.
Police said the accused would gain the trust of women by promising marriage. After developing a close relationship, he allegedly persuaded them to take âpre-approved personal loans' from banks.
He claimed the money would be used to buy property in Gujarat for their future together. Instead, he siphoned off the loan amounts and used the funds for gambling at casinos in Goa.
In a significant breakthrough, the Crime Branch managed to recover Rs 89.40 lakh directly from casino owners in Goa.
