A man posing as a sadhu (holy man) was arrested by Khar Police for cheating a woman in Khar out of gold jewellery worth '2.7 lakh. The accused, identified as Tanaji Rajaram Shinde, 34, was arrested from his residence in Akola on July 14, with the assistance of Borgaon Police. On May 20, mid-day reported how the accused was absconding after stealing a gold chain, in its report, ‘Fake baba cons Khar woman, flees with 17.5 grams of gold chain in the name of ‘ritual’.

According to Khar Police, the incident occurred on May 9, between 11.30 am and 1 pm, when the complainant was alone in her third-floor flat in the Gangadham building in Khar Danda. During that time, Shinde, dressed in a white dhoti and shirt, arrived at her door pretending to be a sadhu. He claimed to be from Akkalkot and a devotee of Swami Samarth and engaged her in a lengthy conversation.

A police officer said, “He asked what offering (dakshina) she would like to give. When she offered money, he declined and instead requested gold, saying he needed it for a ritual at the Shankar temple and would return it later. Believing him, the woman handed over her mother’s gold mangalsutra, weighing 6.5 tolas and valued at '2.7 lakh.”