Mumbai: Nalasopara police arrests conman who duped nearly 40 women

Feroze Shaikh (left), the ‘lootera dulha’, in police custody. Pics/Hanif Patel

A 43-year-old man, dubbed the ‘lootera dulha,' has been arrested by the Nalasopara police for duping around 30 to 40 divorced women across India. The accused, Feroze Ahmad Niyaz Shaikh, used two accounts on a matrimonial website - under the names Vinay Rajput and Feroze Shaikh - to target both Hindu and Muslim divorcees from affluent families. Feroze, a master of disguise, would initially impress women with flattery and then cultivate a close relationship with them. According to a police officer, Feroze has defrauded women from Maharashtra, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. The officer also noted that Feroze was planning to target foreign nationals next.

Just like the plot straight out of a gripping web series the accused created fake profiles on matrimonial websites. He would create a profile as a pilot and a senior banker working at the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to lure wealthy women seeking ideal matches. However, these women would end up heartbroken and defrauded. "He would often tell his victims he was from a rich family and invite them to a function. Once the jewellery-laden women arrived, he would make excuses for them to remove their expensive jewellery before going to the washroom, and then steal the jewellery," said the officer.

Feroze Shaikh, the accused. Pics/Hanif Patel

Additionally, if a woman arrived adorned with jewellery, Feroze would convince her to visit a salon in his rented car. He would ask her to leave her valuables in the car while she went to the salon, only to disappear once she was inside.

Investigating officer PSI Harshal Raut said, "Feroze accumulated significant wealth through his schemes, purchasing a high-end car and MacBook to impress women, including foreign nationals." During questioning, Feroze admitted that convincing divorcees was easier because they sought emotional support. Most of his victims were in their late 30s or early 40s.

Vijaysinh Bagal, senior inspector

Feroze, originally from Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, had been living with a woman in Belapur, Navi Mumbai.

Senior Police Inspector Vijaysinh Bagal at Nalasopara police station said, "Due to such incidents, people nowadays are scared to get into relationships, especially anything related to online platforms. People should be extra careful when using such sites."

The trap

A 38-year-old Nalasopara woman filed a complaint against Feroze on July 23. The police soon discovered he had defrauded many women across India and was skilled at evading capture. Feroze used his victims' phones to avoid detection. A fake profile was created, leading to a sting operation in Kalyan where he was arrested. Authorities recovered credit and debit cards, mobile phones, jewellery, a car, and a MacBook from him. Arnala police have charged him and will transfer him to Jabalpur for further investigation.

A total of six FIRs have been filed against him - two in Pune (Hadaspar and Bhosari), and one each in Kharghar, Vile Parle, Ghatkopar, and Khalapur. He was first arrested in 2016 and served six years in prison. After his release, he resumed his fraudulent activities targeting divorced women.

30-40
No. of women duped by Feroze