Case registered against arrested Ukranian actor for forging Indian birth certificate

Mumbai police have arrested Ukrainian actor Armen Garuh Ataian for forgery in the multi-crore Torres Jewellery scam, involving fake birth certificate for citizenship.

Multi-crore Torres Jewellery scam

Case registered against arrested Ukranian actor for forging Indian birth certificate

MUMBAI: The Bhoiwada police in Dadar have registered a case against Ukranian national and small-time actor, Armen Garuh Ataian, who was arrested in the multi-crore Torres Jewellery scam, for allegedly forging an Indian birth certificate to obtain Indian citizenship and a passport.

Ataian, who used to get minor roles in Indian films and web series, mostly of a Russian or an Ukranian, was living in Madh Island along with two Russians.

“His birth certificate was from F South Ward (Parel) of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). BMC, however, denied issuing any such certificate. Hence, it is fake, and so we have registered a case against him. The Bhoiwada police conducted an inquiry and came to know that his father had once stayed in Lalbaug and Ataian had given the same address in the certificate as his birth address,” said a Mumbai Police officer.

The actor was arrested in Mumbai on January 28 by the Economic Offence Wing of the Mumbai Police for helping set up the company, Platinum Hern Private Limited, the parent company of Torres Jewellery that was set up by Ukranian nationals who fled the country when the scam was busted.

The officer further informed that Ataian has been booked under relevant sections related to cheating, forgery, criminal conspiracy, forgery of valuable security and other documents, fraudulent use of forged documents or electronic records, etc., of the Indian Penal Code.

Tausif Riyaz, the CEO of Torres Jewellery, had identified Ataian as the person who initially introduced him to the main Ukranian accused in the case. Police said Ataian was in touch with the accused till the time they fled the country.

Besides helping the Ukrainian nationals set up Platinum Hern, Ataian also allegedly helped in registering the company and opening jewellery stores across the Mumbai metropolitan region.

The scam surfaced on January 6, when scores of investors gathered outside Torres’ stores after the company defaulted on payment of returns on their investments. The jewellery stores had lured them with promises of unbelievable weekly returns on purchase of gold, jewellery and moissanite stones, the investors alleged.