05 April,2026 03:09 PM IST | Thane | mid-day online correspondent
The accused reportedly showcased sample packaging and images of herbal liquor products to gain the trader’s trust, police said. Representational Pic/File
Police have registered a case against five individuals for allegedly cheating a trader from Thane district in Maharashtra, of Rs 30 lakh under the pretext of offering a dealership for herbal liquor products, reported the PTI.
According to officials, the complaint was lodged on Friday after the trader claimed he had been duped by the accused, who promised him exclusive distributorship rights.
The accused - identified as Pawan Dashrath Hagavane, Sharad Rambhau Gaikwad, and Mahendra Piraji Khilare, along with two others - allegedly approached the complainant between February and July 2021, according to the PTI.
Police said the group presented forged documents, including a letter purportedly signed by the CEO of a company named Herbal Distilleries Pvt Ltd, complete with a fake seal.
They claimed to be authorised representatives and members of the company's board of directors, police said.
Victim induced to invest Rs 30 Lakh
The accused reportedly showcased sample packaging and images of herbal liquor products to gain the trader's trust. They then persuaded him to invest money by promising dealership rights for the Thane region, as per the PTI.
Believing their claims, the trader transferred Rs 30 lakh to the accused. However, no valid licence or dealership was ever provided.
The complainant further alleged that when he demanded clarification, the accused verbally abused and threatened him.
Police have registered a case and launched an investigation to trace the accused. As of now, no arrests have been made, officials said.
Meanwhile, in an another incident, a family from Thane district in Maharashtra was allegedly duped of more than Rs 1.66 crore by a man who exploited their fear of "black magic", police said, reported the PTI.
The suspect allegedly promised divine remedies through rituals and pilgrimages, officials said on Sunday.
The Kasarvadavali police registered a first information report (FIR) on April 2 against the accused, Manjunath Shetty, a resident of Andheri in Mumbai, after the family claimed they were manipulated into paying him over two years, the news agency reported.
According to police, the family's ordeal began in January 2024 when they met Shetty at an event. On learning about their financial difficulties, he convinced them that a relative had performed black magic to obstruct their progress, as per the PTI.
To counter this, Shetty allegedly prescribed elaborate rituals and a mandatory pilgrimage to the 12 Jyotirlingas, sacred temples of Lord Shiva. He is said to have exploited minor mishaps in the family to manipulate them into making repeated payments.
(with PTI inputs)
