Mumbai Trio took Money off Man for ‘Amitabh Movie’

Three Mumbai-based people have had a police complaint filed against them after they stole money from an advertising professional.

They conned the man out of Rs. 55 Lakh (£60,000) by claiming that it would be used to finance a film project starring Amitabh Bachchan.

The three suspects have been identified as Santosh Parab, Paresh Rao and his wife Seema Rao.

All three people are known to police as they are also suspected to have conned several home buyers, including one out of Rs. 42 Lakh (£46,000).

They had promised to sell the victims apartments. When the money had been deposited, they made excuses as to why they were not showing the buyer the flat.

One victim, Shailesh Hegde visited the flat but they were already occupied.

He contacted the police when he found out that other people had been conned in this way.

Parab had conned Lloyd Tellis out of Rs. 33 Lakh (£36,000) by promising to sell him a flat but did not keep the promise.

Paresh Rao was arrested by DN Nagar police station under several sections of the IPC.

His associate and his wife went on the run after they had a second FIR registered against them. Hegde filed the FIR on March 19, 2019.

This new case was lodged by marketing and advertising professional Arun Tyagi. He told police that he met Parab in October 2016 through a mutual friend.

Mr Tyagi told officers: “He introduced himself as the owner of CMA Creations that produced independent movies.

“He also claimed that his company was soon going to be taken over by Ram Gopal Verma.”

Parab introduced the victim to the Rao couple at their second meeting.

“Paresh claimed that the company was producing a movie called ‘Nuclear’ starring Amitabh Bachchan, with Ram Gopal Verma working as the creative director.

“I got interested and we exchanged emails about the financing aspect.”

Parab asked Mr Tyagi for Rs. 55 Lakh (£60,000) to publish adverts of the project in a mainstream newspaper.

The victim obliged and transferred the money to Parab. However, Mr Tyagi became suspicious when there had been no progress on the film for a significant period of time.

Mr Tyagi asked Parab to return his money. The majority of the money was returned but the victim is still owed.

“He returned Rs. 42 Lakh (£46,000) but they still owe me Rs. 13,21,500 (£14,500).”

Police officers registered a third FIR against the trio. While Paresh Rao remains in police custody, Santosh Parab and Seema Rao are still on the run.