Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh. In a bizarre case of fraud and wildlife-related cheating, Saharanpur police have arrested a man who allegedly duped people by claiming to sell a “two-headed snake” (Red Sand Boa) for ₹15 lakh, presenting it as a rare and medicinally valuable creature. The accused has been identified as Aas Mohammad, a resident of Shivdham Colony, who was arrested during a police checking operation near Ambala Road.
Fake Claims Used To Lure Victims
According to police officials, the accused was operating a sophisticated fraud network involving fake identities, luxury symbols, and misleading claims about the snake’s medicinal properties. The gang allegedly used social engineering tactics to convince victims that the snake had high commercial and healing value, leading to illegal transactions worth lakhs of rupees.
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During the arrest, police recovered ₹4.94 lakh in cash, an Audi car, two Red Sand Boa snakes, a note-counting machine, 147 bundles of play/prop currency notes, 145 bundles of blank papers, and two forged Aadhaar cards. Investigators believe these items were used to create psychological pressure and fake an impression of a high-value business operation.
Forged Aadhaar Cards Recovered
Police said the accused used multiple fake identities, including forged Aadhaar documents under different names such as “Ashu Goyal,” to avoid detection and gain trust from potential buyers. He allegedly contacted people across states, claiming that he was involved in a high-level wildlife trade business.
During interrogation, Aas Mohammad reportedly admitted that he and his associates had recently sold a single “two-headed snake” for ₹15 lakh. He claimed that after the transaction, his partners took ₹5 lakh each, while the remaining amount was recovered from him after expenses. However, investigators suspect that the entire network is part of a larger organized fraud and wildlife trafficking racket.
Fake Currency Used To Create Trust
Police officials revealed that the accused used bundles of fake currency notes and blank papers in his bag to create a false impression of wealth and legitimacy. He would present himself as a businessman involved in crores of rupees in trade, thereby gaining the trust of victims before convincing them to invest or pay for the rare snake.
Authorities have also confirmed that the Red Sand Boa is a protected species under the Wildlife Protection Act, and any trade or possession without authorization is illegal. This has led to additional charges of wildlife trafficking against the accused, apart from fraud and cheating.
Multi-State Links Under Probe
Preliminary investigation suggests that the racket may extend across multiple states, with possible links in Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and nearby regions. Police are now tracking the absconding associates of the accused and investigating the supply chain of the snakes, as well as the source of forged identity documents.
Officials are also examining whether the fake Aadhaar cards were created through a compromised enrollment center, and whether the group has been involved in similar frauds in other districts. Technical surveillance and financial tracking of transactions are currently underway.
Law enforcement agencies believe that such scams exploit people’s greed and lack of awareness about wildlife laws, combining superstition, fake scientific claims, and luxury branding to deceive victims. The case has raised concerns about increasing wildlife-related fraud networks operating under the guise of rare animal trade.
Police have appealed to the public to avoid any dealings involving illegal wildlife species or unverifiable high-value claims and to immediately report suspicious activities. Further investigation is ongoing, and more arrests are expected as the network is being dismantled.
