A friendship struck on a digital singing application has resulted in a senior woman from Vadodara losing over ₹21 lakh in an elaborate financial fraud. The Gotri police have registered a case against a Madhya Pradesh resident who allegedly gained the victim’s trust by calling her his mother, presenting forged identity documents, and later coercing her into handing over repeated payments through suicide threats and blackmail.
Emotional Appeal and Pledged Jewellery
According to the police complaint, Minuben Sadhi, a resident living near Colebra on Sevasi Road, first connected with Hitesh Komallal Bhagora through the online singing platform in 2022. The interaction soon moved to regular telephone calls, during which Bhagora allegedly built an emotional bond with the complainant by addressing her as his mother and confiding in her about personal hardships.
Once this rapport was established, Bhagora allegedly claimed that his mother was critically ill and required immediate, costly surgery. Moved by the appeal, Sadhi decided to assist him financially. To raise the required amount, she pledged her gold jewellery with a finance firm and transferred the funds to him.
Forged Documents and Mounting Threats
To reassure Sadhi that her money was safe, the accused allegedly furnished a forged identity card along with a formal written repayment agreement outlining a clear timeline. However, instead of honouring the arrangement, Bhagora escalated his demands for more capital.
When the complainant refused or expressed inability to send further sums, the accused allegedly resorted to extreme pressure tactics. Police said he threatened to commit suicide and warned that he would falsely implicate her in criminal cases if the transfers stopped. Terrified by the continuous intimidation, Sadhi made multiple additional payments over time, eventually handing over ₹23.19 lakh. Bhagora returned only ₹1.55 lakh, leaving ₹21.64 lakh unpaid before continuing his coercive demands.
Police Track Multi-City Links
Following Sadhi’s formal complaint, the Gotri police station registered a First Information Report charging Bhagora with cheating and criminal intimidation. Investigating teams have traced his potential residential links to Panchsheel Society near St Mary’s School in Bhopal and Brahmbag Society in Indore.
Officers are actively scrutinising call records, online communication trails, banking transactions, and money transfer routes used during the offences. Investigators are also looking into whether additional bank accounts were involved and whether other unsuspecting users on digital platforms have been targeted through a similar pattern of emotional manipulation.
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