25 February,2026 06:44 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
The accused has been identified as Wasim Abbas Siraj alias Wasim Jafri alias Wasim Irani. PIC/MUMBAI POLICE
The Andheri Police in Mumbai have arrested a man accused of cheating elderly citizens by pretending to ask directions to a mosque and tricking them into handing over gold chains under the pretext of donating to charity.
The accused, identified as Wasim Abbas Siraj alias Wasim Jafri alias Wasim Irani, a resident of Adivali in Kalyan East, Thane, was apprehended on February 17, following technical investigation and surveillance by the crime detection team.
According to a police press note released on Tuesday, the modus operandi involved approaching people near temples or mosques, claiming to have opened a new gold shop and needing to donate "khairat (charity)". In a recent case on February 8, the suspect approached a complainant around 2.30 pm, asking him for directions to a mosque. He handed over Rs 500 notes as "donation", and requested the victim to place his gold chain around the suspect's neck for "blessing". He then wrapped the chain in the notes and fled with the 10-gram gold chain.
A first information report (FIR) was registered at Andheri Police Station under Section 318(4) (cheating) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) after the man approached the cops.
During interrogation and search, police recovered the 10-gram gold chain from the accused. Further investigation revealed his involvement in a series of similar cheating incidents across Mumbai and suburbs, leading to the detection of 30 cases in Andheri, Trombay, MIDC, Vile Parle, Dahisar, Jogeshwari, Vasai, Dindoshi, Vanrai, Kurla, Meghwadi, and other police stations.
The accused has a long criminal history with 14 prior cases registered in various police stations across Mumbai, Raigad, Thane, Telangana, Surat, and Jalgaon, mostly for theft and cheating since 2005.
The operation was carried out under the guidance of Mumbai Police Commissioner Deven Bharti, Additional Commissioner (Crime & Railways) Mityanarayan, Deputy Commissioner Datta Nalawade, Additional Commissioner (Andheri Division) Gajanan Pawar, Senior Inspector Umesh Machindra, and Crime Detection Officer Sub-inspector Kishor Parkale.
Police described the arrest and detection of 30 cases as a significant achievement in cracking a long-standing chain of frauds targeting vulnerable senior citizens in the city. The accused is currently in judicial custody.
