Mumbai: Woman swipes right, loses Rs 23 lakh to Tinder swindler

The police say Pritesh Prem Singh Duglaj alias Nikki Singh may have cheated several people

The Kandivli police have apprehended a 37-year-old individual accused of duping a Mumbai-based IT professional of Rs 23 lakh by inducing her to invest in the property business in Pune. According to the sources, the complainant got acquainted with the accused through a dating site in 2021. After gaining her trust, the accused began communicating with her over the phone and eventually met her in Mumbai a few times. Pretending to be a property businessman, he enticed her with the promise of substantial profits, persuading her to take a bank loan for investment and later absconding with the money.

Despite the complainant waiting for years, the accused failed to provide the promised property or return the money. The victim complained to the Kandivli police in January. Following the registration of the case under various sections, Assistant Police Inspector Sohan Kadam initiated the investigation under the guidance of DCP (Zone 11) Anand Bhoite and Senior Police Inspector Dyaneshwar Ganore. The accused, identified as Pritesh Prem Singh Duglaj alias Nikki Singh, was apprehended from Pune on Saturday.

"Duglaj was produced before the court on Saturday and remanded to police custody till April 2," said an officer. "The 34-year-old victim met Duglaj for the first time in 2021 on a dating site where he introduced himself as Nikki Singh. They chatted casually for a few days after which they shared mobile numbers and continued chatting. When Dulgaj visited Mumbai, the victim arranged accommodation for him at a five-star hotel in Goregaon East. They explored the city together, even dining at a hotel in Malad," he added.

According to the officer, on one of Dulgaj's subsequent visits to Mumbai, he introduced the complainant to his associate Vishwajeet Vishwakarma, claiming they were involved in a property business together. "He told her that they were working on a lucrative project in the Bhosari area of Pune. The duo encouraged the complainant to invest and even convinced her to obtain a personal loan from the bank." With Vishwakarma's assistance, the victim secured a loan of approximately Rs 23 lakh, transferring the funds to accounts belonging to Dulgaj, Vishwakarma, and Dulgaj's mother.

"Dulgaj had purportedly assured the woman that he would handle the loan EMIs. However, after receiving the funds, he distanced himself from her, ceased communication, and avoided answering her calls. Realising she had been deceived, the victim sought assistance from the police and reported the incident said another officer," said the officer. "Looking at the modus operandi, it seems like Dulgaj is a habitual offender who may have cheated several people. We are investigating the case from every angle. We even summoned the accused for investigation but he was trying to dodge the police. So we laid a trap and nabbed him in Pune on Saturday," said another officer.

2021
Year woman met conman on dating site