Serial fraudster dupes woman seeking liver transplant for son

AHMEDABAD: Bhavika Patel 28, a resident of Ayodhya Tenament in Ranip, was stunned to learn that she had been cheated by Dhruti Pooch of Izabel Travels of Rs 10 lakh.
She had given the sum to Pooch so she could go to Singapore for a liver transplant for her 18-month-old son Prince.
What kept Patel from lodging a complaint was not only the fear of losing the money that she and her family gathered after mortgaging their house, but also the fear of the powerful politician Pooch was connected to.
She gathered the courage after she learnt of a cheating complaint registered against Pooch at Sola police station, for cheating a family of Rs 22 lakh, over a tour package to Singapore and approached police on Tuesday along with her father-in-law Girish Patel.
The police acted swiftly and have arrested Dhruti Pooch. “Other complainants are coming forward too. Pooch had also allegedly cheated a mother and son of Rs 19.30 lakh, paid for a student visa for Singapore,” added a senior police official.
Bhavika Patel’s complaint shook the cops. “Her father-in-law, Girish Patel, who already knew of Pooch because of his travel business, met her about six months back at her office in Platinium Plaza at Vastrapur,” said a police source.
He told Pooch about his grandson’s illness and the expenses in the region of Rs 30 lakh estimated by private hospitals of Ahmedabad and Delhi. “Pooch told him she could arrange a liver transplant in Singapore for just Rs 12 lakh. Patel paid her Rs 10 lakh for the visa arrangements,” said a police official.
Patel’s complaint says that she herself was to donate the liver to her son and they had been excited about the latest developments.
“Ever since Patel paid Pooch Rs 10 lakh, the latter started avoiding them. In June 2016, Girish Patel and Bhavika came to her office and met her just outside, in a car. Pooch was with a well-connected politician. They threatened to hurt Patel and Bhavika. The got scared,” said a police source.