MUMBAI: Celebrity chef and restaurateur Farrokh Khambata, who was reported missing last year, was booked for forgery and making false documents by Gamdevi police in south Mumbai. He allegedly took loans from various banks and financial institutions and failed to repay.
The complaint was lodged by his wife, Dilshad, who told police he forged her signature in the bank document to make her a co-borrower. A senior police officer said that they are likely to issue a look-out circular (LOC) notice against him. He is believed to have fled the country.
Dilshad (48), who stays at Altamount Road, lodged an FIR on Jan 21 with the Gamdevi police station to complain about this forgery. She told the police that her husband had been missing since April 5, 2024 and she had earlier lodged a missing person's complaint in the same police station on Sept 20 last.
She claimed she received phone calls from banks inquiring about her husband. When she asked why they were asking about her husband, they told her that he took a loan from their bank. While taking the loan, he allegedly submitted his wife's PAN and Aadhar details, forged her signature and made her a co-borrower. As per the FIR, the forgery took place between June and Sept last year.
Khambata's Asian restaurants Joss and Umame, and Amadeus in south Mumbai, were popular with celebrities. Khambata also opened Jaan at the Penthouse, an Indian restaurant in Dubai, and ran Thai Robata fine dining restaurant at Nariman Point.
The complainant said she contacted the bank for information and learnt her husband took a loan of Rs 40.8 lakh and made her a co-borrower. When she contacted the bank, she learnt Khambata took loans from four other banks and five finance companies as well.
Last year, she received a message on her phone that a loan of Rs 25.38 lakh was taken. When she clicked on a link given in the message, she found Khambata took the loan without her knowledge and permission and made her a co-borrower.
"His phone is switched off and there is no information about him. We are likely to issue an LOC notice against him," said the officer. Police registered the case under Sections 335 (making a false document), 336(2) (forgery), and 340(2) (forged document) of the BNS.