Gujarat: Cops bust gang of fraudsters, recover Rs 19 lakh, 10 persons arrested

Two bogus cops, who were part of the gang of thugs, were also arrested by the Gir Somnath police. Police were also successful in recovering Rs 19 lakh cash from their possession. According to Gir Somnath SP Manoharsinh Jadeja, four more members of the gang are still absconding.

Gir Somnath (Gujarat): A ten-member gang of fraudsters was busted by police in the Gir Somnath district in Gujarat on Monday. The gang members' modus-operandi was to cheat gullible people on the pretext of tantric rituals as well as doubling their money.

Two bogus cops, who were part of the gang of thugs, were also arrested by the Gir Somnath police. Police were also successful in recovering Rs 19 lakh cash from their possession. According to Gir Somnath SP Manoharsinh Jadeja, four more members of the gang are still absconding.

Police investigation revealed that a priest of Rajkot Harkishan Goswami became a victim of the gang. A member of the gang Altaf Sama approached the priest Goswami and took him to a godman Musa Sama. Priest Goswami had told Altaf Sama that he runs an ashram but he was facing a money crunch. Altaf Sama then took Goswami to a godman Musa Sama. Goswami was taken to Panikotha village in Talala taluka in Gir-Somnath. Musa Sama performed some tantric rituals. He then asked Goswami to spend some money to please the goddess.

The priest borrowed Rs 5 lakh from his relatives and handed it over to Musa. Musa asked for Rs 5.50 lakh more in the name of performing rituals. The kingpin of the gang Musa then sent Goswami to his house in Rajkot for performing some rituals. Some members of the gang were also accompanying him.

But two fake cops roped in by Musa intercepted Goswami on the way and threatened him. Goswami escaped from the spot but he got a call from Musa after some days. Musa was saying that cops busted them and he would not be able to do the rituals. Sensing foul play, Goswami approached the police to file a complaint of cheating. “Besides the arrest of ten members of the gang, cash and gold ornaments worth Rs 19 lakh were recovered from their possession. Two bogus cops and a jeweller were also arrested,” said a police inspector.