Woman loses Rs 66 lakh to 'suitor' she met on marriage portal

Thane: A 45-year-old divorcee from Dombivli in the district was allegedly duped of Rs 66.33 lakh by a 53-year-old man she came in contact with through a popular matrimonial portal, police said on Sunday.

The man, identified as Yagnesh Philipps alias Yagnesh Mohanbai Panchal, contacted the woman, who has been staying alone with her son since 1997, after she posted her profile on the website, a police official said.

Panchal had won the woman's confidence promising her that he would take care of her and her son, said inspector S A Medhe of Dombivli police station.

The woman, however, never met Panchal in person but used to be in touch with him via phone, e-mail as well as a messaging service.

Panchal, who claimed himself to be a businessman having a factory in Malaysia, told the woman that he needed loan as he has suffered financial loss.

"Believing him, the woman transferred Rs 66.33 lakh in various bank accounts on instructions of Panchal in a total of 15 transactions till July last year," Medhe said.

However, she grew suspicious after Panchal stopped answering her calls, following which she approached local police where a case was registered last night in this connection.

Police have booked a total of 15 persons, including Panchal, under various sections of IPC including cheating, and under appropriate sections of IT Act, Medhe added.

During investigation, police traced Panchal's address to Ahmedabad and is in the process of dispatching a team there to nab him.