Fake ‘CMO officer’ arrested for Rs 3-cr fraud, had ‘donated’ 31 laptops to Goa Police, forged MLA’s personal assistant’s ID card
Pictures shared by the Goa CMO’s X handle on April 4, 2025, showing Vaibhav Thakar (in black) with Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant (with pen in left pocket). PICS/By Special Arrangement
The LT Marg police have learnt that Vaibhav Thakar, a man nabbed by them on December 7 for allegedly cheating a Zaveri Bazaar jeweller of Rs 2.8 crore while posing as an officer from the Maharashtra Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), had been previously arrested by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) in a Rs 200-crore gold trading case. After securing bail in that case last year, Thakar travelled to Goa, met its Chief Minister, Pramod Sawant, and donated 31 laptops to the Goa Police — a gesture later acknowledged by the Goa CMO on its X handle.
A bogus ID card portraying the ‘scamster’ as the PA of a Maharashtra legislator
Thakar, who was produced in court on December 8, has been remanded in police custody till December 12, officers confirmed. Investigators said Thakar projected himself as a high-ranking state official to win the trust of jeweller Shailesh Jain. He allegedly claimed he could use his “official influence” to secure gold from Customs auctions, following which Jain transferred nearly Rs 3 crore. The police have registered a case against Thakar along with three others, but suspect that Thakar is the main accused in this matter.
Fake ID
According to the police, Thakar had also allegedly forged a bogus identification card in the name of an MLA’s personal assistant, possibly to gain entry to the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly. Officers said this was part of his pattern of impersonation and influence-peddling to gain access to government premises, officials, and potential victims.
Vaibhav Thakar, the accused
Following the jeweller’s complaint, LT Marg police had been searching for Thakar for several weeks before arresting him on Sunday. Police suspect more victims may come forward and have appealed to citizens who may have been similarly cheated to contact the authorities. Officials added that several more fraudulent activities linked to Thakar may emerge as he remains under custodial interrogation. Senior Police Inspector Nitin Tadakhe said investigators suspect the accused may have cheated more individuals in a similar manner, and urged any such victims to immediately contact the LT Marg police.
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