'Rs 7,000 per drop, black blood extract': Gang of fake physiotherapists targeting elderly busted in Ahmedabad; 1 arrested

AHMEDABAD: The promise of walking without pain drew an 85-year-old man from west Ahmedabad into a con that drained his savings substantially. Living alone in western Ahmedabad, the elderly man who suffered from persistent knee pain and limited mobility was approached by men who promised relief through "specialised physiotherapy" at home. His three children — all in govt service, with one holding a senior post — remained unaware of the deception until he confided in a relative who raised an alarm. By then, the octogenarian had, allegedly, lost about Rs 7 lakh.The city cybercrime branch busted the gang on Monday and arrested Mohammed Amjad, a 35-year-old Class 6 dropout from Rajasthan. Police have launched a hunt for three of his accomplices: Mohammed Aryan, Mohammed Sheru alias Noman, and Mohammed Sameer, all residents of Rajasthan. "The gang, which targeted the octogenarian a week ago, had been operating for the past 5-6 years. The gang would carefully scout for elderly people, who have mobility issues and live alone, in places like hospitals, markets or religious gatherings. They would approach their target and claim to ‘know a senior citizen who got cured through their treatment'. They would then recommend Dr Diwan, a quack. Later, the gang would contact their target and offer a home-based treatment," said police. The police further added, "The accused visited victims' homes, injected needles and staged dramatic procedures in which they claimed to extract "black blood" from the body. Victims were charged Rs 7,000 per drop, with no prescriptions, reports or medical documents issued at any stage. The elderly were persuaded to withdraw large sums of cash from banks, while other gang members discreetly kept watch to ensure no complaint was lodged."Their racket was uncovered after a Bank of Baroda manager on Drive-In Road alerted police about a senior citizen repeatedly breaking fixed deposits. Acting on standing instructions issued by in charge DCP (cybercrime) Hardik Makadia to flag unusual withdrawals by elderly customers, police reviewed CCTV footage and noticed a man conducting reconnaissance of the victim's movements for two days. Interrogation led to Amjad's arrest and the recovery of Rs 6.7 lakh.The victim's children filed a complaint, revealing a calculated trap: two men one masquerading as an engineer and the other as 'Nitin Agrawal' — lured their parents to a sham doctor. The accused allegedly took Rs 4 lakh in cash on the first day and Rs 2.7 lakh the following day.