A disturbing case of financial fraud exploiting blind faith and domestic distress has come to light in Bhopal. A woman residing in the Saket Nagar locality was defrauded of assets valued at approximately Rs 1 crore by a brother-sister duo who promised to resolve her domestic discord and bring her estranged son back home through occult rituals and spiritual remedies. The local crime branch has launched a detailed investigation and initiated criminal proceedings against both accused individuals.
Exploiting Emotional Vulnerability Over a Divided Family
The matter officially surfaced on October 14 when Purushottam Sharma approached law enforcement authorities with an official complaint detailing how his family had been swindled. Sharma explained that his son had been living separately due to ongoing internal friction within the household. During this period of anxiety, his wife, Rajeshwari Sharma, was introduced to Asha Yadav through an acquaintance in their neighborhood.
During their interactions, Asha claimed that her brother, Mukesh Yadav, possessed specialized spiritual capabilities and conducted esoteric rituals capable of pacifying family disputes and bringing tranquility to households. Believing that these practices could heal the domestic fracture and mend ties with her separated son, Rajeshwari developed deep faith in Asha's promises, which led to frequent visits to the latter's residence over the following months.
Systematic Siphoning of Funds and Precious Ornaments
Capitalizing on Rajeshwari's desperation, Asha and Mukesh began soliciting money and valuables under the guise of conducting complex rituals and warding off planetary afflictions. The financial transactions commenced on May 25, 2025. Across numerous installments, Rajeshwari transferred around Rs 7.16 lakh into Asha's bank account via the PhonePe digital payment application. Furthermore, approximately Rs 12.54 lakh in physical cash was handed over directly from the family's domestic savings.
The demands quickly escalated beyond currency notes. Citing religious necessities to dispel negative influences, the suspects persuaded Rajeshwari to part with substantial heirloom jewelry. They collected around 625 grams of gold items and 500 grams of silver ornaments. Taken together, the cash payments, online transfers, and market value of the jewelry pushed the aggregate loss to around Rs 1 crore.
Jeweler's Payment Follow-Up Blows the Cover
The elaborate deception finally unraveled on September 29 after Ram Panjwani, proprietor of JP Jewellers in Bittan Market, contacted Purushottam Sharma regarding an unsettled bill. The merchant stated that nearly five months prior, Asha Yadav had purchased gold worth approximately Rs 17 lakh from his establishment. She had paid Rs 5 lakh in hard cash but issued a bank cheque for the outstanding balance, which ultimately failed to clear upon presentation.
Confronted with the jeweler's revelation, Sharma questioned his wife closely about their domestic finances. Faced with the facts, Rajeshwari recounted the full extent of the cash and jewelry surrendered in the name of mystical solutions. Realizing they were victims of an organized extortion scheme, the family approached the Bhopal Crime Branch to seek intervention and legal accountability.
Police Investigation and Seizure of Financial Instruments
Upon receiving the formal complaint, investigators recorded statements from Purushottam Sharma, his spouse, and their sons to reconstruct the sequence of events. In the course of the ongoing inquiry, Rajeshwari handed over eight bank cheques with a cumulative face value of nearly Rs 10 crore, alongside one signed blank cheque and six active debit cards belonging to different financial institutions. All instruments were taken into formal custody by the police.
Following preliminary verification confirming the roles played by Asha Yadav and Mukesh Yadav, the Crime Branch registered a first information report against the duo under sections 318(4) and 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, covering offenses related to cheating and criminal conspiracy. Police officers are now investigating the underlying objective behind gathering multi-crore cheques and debit cards, while tracing the acquired physical assets and financial transfers.
