Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai

Mumbai, Mar 8: A 42-year-old man accused of cheating multiple women by promising marriage and investment opportunities was arrested in Wadala after remaining absconding for nearly seven months. However, a court ordered his immediate release after ruling that the police had failed to follow proper arrest procedures.

The accused, Mehul Patel, faces around 32 criminal cases — including cheating, forgery, impersonation, and cheque bounce — registered in Mumbai and Bengaluru.

Patel was apprehended on Friday by police from the Bandra Police Station in connection with a cheating complaint filed by a woman. But during the remand hearing, the court held that his arrest was illegal because the police failed to inform him of the grounds for his arrest before taking him into custody.

According to investigators, Patel’s alleged modus operandi involved targeting financially well-off divorcees and widows. He would befriend them through social media and matrimonial platforms, promise marriage, and persuade them to invest in his supposed business ventures.

In the latest case, a pilot alleged that Patel cheated her of around Rs 50 lac after convincing her to support his business plans and promising to marry her.

Advocate Akshita Prajapati, who represented some of the victims, said two women appeared in court during the remand proceedings but were left shocked when the accused was released. One of the victims said they had spent considerable effort tracing Patel and informing the police, only for him to be freed due to a procedural lapse.

According to the complaint, Patel created a profile on a matrimonial website and connected with the pilot in September 2023. He introduced himself as a successful businessman and gradually gained her trust. After promising to marry her once her divorce was finalised, he allegedly persuaded her and her father to invest in his proposed businesses.

Police said the woman initially handed over Rs 50 lac through a cheque in January 2024 after Patel claimed he urgently needed funds for business purposes. He also allegedly asked her to sign certain documents presented as routine paperwork, which later turned out to be loan agreements.

Investigators further said Patel took another ?3 lakh in cash, claiming it was needed to pay a lawyer and school fees. When the woman later requested the return of her money to cover her father’s medical expenses, Patel reportedly repaid only Rs 9 lac and refused to return the remaining Rs 44 lac.

Police officials said Patel had earlier spent about 14 months in jail in another case. After being released, he moved to Bengaluru and later went into hiding.

During further inquiries, the complainant reportedly discovered that Patel had approached several other women in a similar manner and allegedly collected money from them under the pretext of marriage.