The Mumbai police have initiated legal action against Shashikala alias Baby Patankar, known as a drug dealer, along with her accomplice, for their alleged involvement in a fraudulent scheme that swindled a businessman out of Rs 2 crore by offering him gold at discounted rates, according to an official statement.
The case, registered, is based on a complaint lodged by a 60-year-old businessman earlier this week. It has been filed under Section 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code against Patankar and her associate Parshuram Munde, aged 45.
The victim first crossed paths with Munde through a mutual acquaintance. Munde, in turn, claimed ownership of a gold trading company located in Pune. Furthermore, he asserted that his company engaged in the purchase of gold obtained through customs department seizures during auctions, subsequently selling it at rates lower than prevailing market prices, as explained by the police official.
With a growing interest in procuring gold, the complainant was led by Munde to Patankar’s residence in Worli, central Mumbai. There, he was shown a substantial quantity of gold, amounting to 7 kg.
The initial transaction saw the complainant transfer Rs 1.30 crore to the duo, with the remaining Rs 70 lakh settled at a later point, as per the agreement detailed by the official.
Promises were made by Patankar and Munde to hand over the gold on the following day. Regrettably, the businessman neither received the promised gold nor did he recover his money.
It is worth noting that Patankar had previously been arrested in 2015 in connection with the seizure of 12 kg of mephedrone discovered within the locker of her alleged partner, police constable Dharmaraj Kalokhe, at a police station. Subsequently, a special court granted bail to Patankar in that particular case.