Ahmedabad. A 67-year-old businessman from Ahmedabad’s Satellite area has allegedly been cheated of ₹21.79 lakh on the pretext of making donations for a religious activity. Anandnagar Police have registered a complaint against a man from Mahudi in Gandhinagar and begun an investigation. The accused allegedly contacted the businessman while posing as a representative of the Nar Ratna Maharaj Saheb Upashray in Paldi and sought money for a religious purpose.
According to the complaint, the businessman received a phone call on July 23 from a man who identified himself as Tejash Shah and claimed to be associated with the Nar Ratna Maharaj Saheb Upashray in Paldi. The caller allegedly asked him to contribute financially towards a religious activity. As the businessman had faith in the religious centre, he agreed to help. The accused initially allegedly asked him to deposit ₹49,000 into a bank account. The businessman arranged for the money to be deposited through the son of an acquaintance.
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The following day, July 24, the accused allegedly contacted him from another mobile number and asked him to deposit another ₹1 lakh into the same account. The amount was reportedly deposited through an employee working at the businessman’s company. He was subsequently asked to deposit ₹1 lakh on August 5 and ₹2 lakh on August 7 into another bank account, which the complaint states was in the name of Kalpanaben Shah.
The accused allegedly made further demands for money between August 10 and August 14. According to the complaint, the businessman was asked to send ₹4 lakh on August 10, ₹4.30 lakh on August 11, ₹4 lakh on August 12 and ₹5 lakh on August 14. Instead of depositing these amounts into a bank account, he was allegedly instructed to send the money through angadia services using details provided by the accused.
The complaint states that the accused provided names and mobile numbers of recipients in Prantij and Dwarka for delivering the money. The businessman allegedly handed over the cash to his son, who sent it through angadia services using the details provided. The complaint claims that a total of ₹21.79 lakh was transferred through bank accounts and angadia services.
The alleged fraud came to light when the businessman and his family tried to contact the accused but were unable to reach him on either of his mobile numbers. The businessman and his son then visited the Nar Ratna Maharaj Saheb Upashray to verify the request for the donation. They allegedly learned that the religious centre had not made any such demand for money.
The businessman subsequently submitted a complaint to Anandnagar Police on September 15. During the investigation, the accused was identified as Tejash Subhashbhai Shah, a resident of the staff quarters in Mahudi village, Gandhinagar, according to the complaint. Police have registered a case alleging that the accused gained the victim’s trust by invoking a religious purpose and fraudulently obtained ₹21.79 lakh.
Police are now examining the bank accounts, mobile numbers, angadia transactions and details of the alleged recipients. Investigators are also trying to determine where the money ultimately went and whether anyone else was involved in the alleged fraud.
About the author — Suvedita Nath is a science student with a growing interest in cybercrime and digital safety. She writes on online activity, cyber threats, and technology-driven risks. Her work focuses on clarity, accuracy, and public awareness.
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