Police from the Sikandra station in Dausa district, working alongside the District Special Team, have busted an inter-district fraud gang and taken three members into custody. The syndicate specialized in duping local business owners by presenting genuine gold samples to build trust before delivering counterfeit imitation necklaces in exchange for hefty sums of cash. The arrested individuals have been identified as Shrawan Bawari and Narayan Bawari, both residents of Jalore district, while a third associate has been kept under wraps for identification procedures. The trio was intercepted from Manglana in the Didwana-Kuchaman district. Law enforcement officials seized 13 lakh 60 thousand rupees in cash, fake gold-lookalike necklaces, and a motorcycle used during the offences. Under interrogation, the suspects confessed to executing 25 fraudulent operations across Rajasthan, siphoning off an estimated 96 lakh rupees.
Trader Duped of 15 Lakh Rupees in Deceptive Scheme
The operation unraveled following a formal complaint filed by Kamlesh Saini, a trader based in Basda within the jurisdiction of the Sikandra police station. According to the complaint, unidentified men visited his shop pretending to be customers seeking assistance. The men presented themselves as laborers and claimed they had stumbled upon an item resembling gold during physical work, asking the shopkeeper to verify its purity. When the men handed over a gold necklace, the trader applied an acid test, which confirmed that the piece was genuine gold. Capitalizing on his interest, the miscreants claimed they had an additional 800 grams of similar gold and offered to sell it. They collected an advance payment of one lakh rupees from Kamlesh Saini before leaving. Later, the gang instructed the trader to meet them in Jaipur to complete the transaction. In Jaipur, they delivered bundles of yellow metal necklaces and collected 14 lakh rupees in cash. Soon after stepping away to inspect the received items, the trader realized the entire lot consisted of cheap counterfeits.
Police Investigation and Capture in Manglana
Following the complaint at the Sikandra police station, law enforcement authorities launched a concerted effort to track down the culprits. After days of surveillance and investigation, local police and the District Special Team pinpointed the location of the suspects to Manglana in Didwana-Kuchaman district, successfully apprehending the three men. Superintendent of Police Piyush Dixit held a press briefing detailing the coordinated efforts that resulted in the arrest and recovery of 13 lakh 60 thousand rupees along with the fake ornaments.
Modus Operandi: Stays in Shelters and Market Reconnaissance
Superintendent of Police Piyush Dixit explained that the syndicate functioned with a well-planned modus operandi designed to avert suspicion. Gang members typically took shelter in night shelters and community guesthouses located near railway stations, bus stands, and prominent temples. To project the appearance of an ordinary, innocent migrant family, they traveled alongside women and young children. The male members would then scout commercial areas and market hubs within a radius of 25 to 30 kilometers to identify prospective victims. Once a trader was selected, they would execute the trap by offering genuine gold for initial testing, followed by delivering brass or counterfeit jewelry once the victim handed over the bulk payment.
Spread Across Eight Districts with 25 Confessed Cases
Interrogation revealed that the syndicate had spread its operations across wide swathes of the state. The accused admitted to carrying out 25 similar fraudulent transactions across districts including Dausa, Nagaur, Bikaner, Didwana-Kuchaman, Jaipur, Jhunjhunu, Churu, and Banswara. Across these incidents, the gang extracted approximately 96 lakh rupees from various victims. Authorities are continuing their investigation to trace the remaining proceeds from the 96 lakh rupees stolen across the region.
