Mumbai crime branch arrests angadia in gold fraud and extortion case

Mumbai: The city crime branch team has arrested a Bhuleshwar-based angadia (courier) in a multi-crore gold trading fraud and extortion case involving alleged threats in the name of the "D Company." The anti-extortion cell arrested Rakesh Mandalia, 50, a Borivli resident, for cheating and issuing threats.The complainant, a gold and silver trader, was purchasing 24-carat gold pieces from Divya Diamond for the last two years and selling them to jewellers in Mumbai. The payments collected from customers were allegedly routed through Mandalia, who worked through an angadia firm operating from Bhuleshwar and allegedly enjoyed the trust of several traders.Police said that between Jan 22 and Jan 28, the complainant purchased nearly 1.7 kg of gold worth Rs 2.79 crore, which was sold in the market. The customers allegedly deposited the payment amount with Mandalia for transfer to Divya Diamonds. However, Mandalia allegedly failed to transfer the money and later claimed there was an "income tax problem" and that he had left Mumbai temporarily.The complainant alleged that when he and his associates approached Mandalia's office in Bhuleshwar, his father-in-law, Ramesh Prajapati, allegedly warned them not to create trouble and referred to connections with the "D Company." Later, when the complainant visited Mandalia's residence, his wife, Dharini Mandalia, allegedly repeated similar threats and warned them against returning for money.Police said the complainant later began receiving WhatsApp calls from an international number allegedly used by a person identifying himself as "Haji Bhai," who allegedly threatened to kill him and demanded Rs 1 crore as "penalty" for approaching the police.Based on the complaint, an offence was initially registered at JJ Marg police station under multiple sections of the BNS related to cheating, criminal breach of trust, extortion and criminal intimidation, and the case was transferred to the anti-extortion cell.Investigators said four mobile phones submitted by the complainant have been seized for technical analysis, while statements of witnesses are being recorded. Police told the court that Mandalia, along with his wife, father-in-law and the alleged Dubai-based caller, conspired to misappropriate the gold sale proceeds and threaten the complainant into silence.