A disturbing case of familial betrayal and calculated financial fraud has emerged from the Isanpur locality of Ahmedabad in Gujarat. A young woman has been booked by local law enforcement for allegedly swindling her marital family out of more than fifteen lakh rupees under the dual pretext of securing employment in the United Kingdom and investing in lucrative bank deposits. The victimized father-in-law had mortgaged his family residence and exhausted his retirement savings to finance what he believed was an international career opportunity for his son and daughter-in-law. Following the sudden disappearance of the woman, the distressed family lodged a formal police complaint.
A Love Marriage Built on Trust
According to the police complaint, Dhruvit Parekh married Payal in May 2023. The two individuals had known each other prior to tying the knot, and the matrimonial alliance was solemnized with the full consent and blessings of both families. After the wedding, Payal resided in Ahmedabad with Dhruvit and his parents. She was employed at a private banking institution, a credential that initially reinforced her in-laws' faith in her financial judgment and professional integrity. The early period of their conjugal life appeared stable and harmonious, giving the household no reason to suspect deceptive motives.
The London Opportunity and Mounting Loans
The turning point arrived in February 2024, approximately nine months into the marriage. Payal informed the household that she had been selected for a lucrative corporate role based in London. To convince her marital family to back the venture, she assured them that once she settled in the British capital, she would arrange an accompanying visa for her husband Dhruvit to relocate abroad alongside her. Convinced that the move would guarantee long-term financial security for the young couple, the family resolved to support the endeavour unreservedly.
Payal outlined that the total cost of paperwork, processing fees, and related relocation expenses would reach roughly Rs 25 lakh. Determined to support their daughter-in-law, Dhruvit's father made extraordinary personal financial sacrifices. He mortgaged the family home to secure a bank loan worth Rs 16.80 lakh. Additionally, he withdrew Rs 7 lakh from his General Provident Fund (GPF) reserves. The accumulated sum of Rs 23.80 lakh was then deposited directly into the joint bank account maintained by Dhruvit's parents to be utilized as required.
Visa Obstacles and Transfer to an Associate
Initially, an installment of Rs 1.50 lakh was disbursed to Payal to initiate visa documentation. Sometime later, however, Payal told the family that the visa application had encountered bureaucratic hurdles and could not move forward immediately. Rather than letting the pooled funds sit idle, she proposed a tactical alternative to avoid missing out on financial returns.
Payal asserted that a trusted acquaintance named Samman Singh Bhadauria, who also worked in the banking sector, could assist in placing the funds into high-yield fixed deposits (FD) to earn substantial interest. Persuaded by her advice, the family permitted the transfer of the funds into accounts affiliated with Samman Singh. Across multiple bank transactions, a sum of approximately Rs 13.09 lakh was transferred to him. Furthermore, at Payal's specific insistence, Dhruvit separately transferred another Rs 2.50 lakh from his personal balance. In total, approximately Rs 15.59 lakh ended up under the control of Payal and her associate.
Growing Suspicion and Disappearance
As weeks turned into months without any official deposit receipts, account statements, or clear updates on the foreign visa, the household began demanding the immediate return of their capital. Payal continually offered evasive excuses. While she handed a signed cheque to her father-in-law, she instructed him not to present it to the bank until she granted explicit clearance. Suspicion intensified when Payal's own biological brother reached out to Dhruvit, warning him about his sister's erratic conduct and urging him to verify the whereabouts of the family's money.
Confronted by her husband and his parents, Payal pledged that she would recover the entire sum from Samman Singh and reimburse the family within thirty days. That commitment was never honored. In September, Payal stepped out of the house in the morning, stating that she was heading to her office. When she failed to return home by evening, Dhruvit traveled to her workplace, where colleagues informed him that she had arrived in the morning but departed shortly afterward. Payal's mobile phone was switched off, and repeated efforts to contact Samman Singh proved futile as his device was also powered down.
Police Investigation and Search for the Suspects
Faced with the sudden disappearance of both Payal and her associate alongside the total loss of their money, Dhruvit approached the authorities. The Isanpur police station subsequently registered a formal criminal case against Payal and Samman Singh Bhadauria for criminal breach of trust and cheating. Investigating officers are presently scrutinizing banking transaction histories, digital communications, call records, and the documentation surrounding the alleged overseas employment and fixed deposit claims. A police manhunt is underway to locate and apprehend both absconding suspects.
