Jeweller duped of ₹2.8 crore by man posing as CMO officer; FIR also names ex-Jet Airways ‘hijack note’ accused Birju Salla

Two men, including a former hijacking convict, cheated a jeweller out of ₹2.80 crore through fake CMO connections and false gold auction claims.

MUMBAI: The L T Marg police have registered an FIR against two men, including one who allegedly claimed to be an officer in the Maharashtra chief minister’s office (CMO), for cheating a Zaveri Bazaar jeweller of nearly ₹2.80 crore through a series of elaborate cons involving claims of seized Customs gold, high-level political access and fake official credentials.

Jeweller duped of ₹2.8 crore by man posing as CMO officer; FIR also names ex-Jet Airways ‘hijack note’ accused Birju Salla

One of the accused is Birju Salla, who made national headlines in 2017 for leaving a fake hijack note on a Jet Airways flight. Salla became the first person to be convicted under the Anti-Hijacking Act, 2016, and was sentenced to life by a special NIA court in Gujarat. The Gujarat High Court overturned the conviction in August 2023, setting him free, a police officer said.

The second accused, Vaibhav Thakar, allegedly introduced himself to the complainant, 57-year-old jeweller Shailesh Jain, as a Class I officer in the CMO. According to the police, Salla first introduced Jain to Thakar in January 2024.

Borrowed money, promised CMO access

In February, Thakar allegedly told Jain he needed ₹20 lakh to “clear an exam” for a higher government post and promised to return the money within a month. He then claimed he could introduce Jain to the then chief minister Eknath Shinde to help expand his business.

Thakar even took Jain to Varsha, the CM’s official residence, in a white Toyota Innova fitted with a beacon. “He told Jain it was a Sunday and the chief minister was busy with his family,” a police officer said.

The ‘discounted gold’ offer

A month later, Thakar allegedly claimed he had contacts in the Customs department who could arrange seized gold at discounted rates before auction. When Jain expressed interest in buying 10 kg of gold, he allegedly transferred about ₹1.15 crore to the bank account of Thakar’s wife.

Police said Thakar then claimed his mother-in-law, Surekha Jain, owned a diamond jewellery store in Lalbaug and sold jewellery online. Between March and April 2024, Jain handed over diamond jewellery worth ₹1.44 crore to Thakar, which was later seen posted on social media by the mother-in-law before being deleted.

Delays, threats and a twist

“When the complainant kept asking about the supposed Customs auction, Thakar first claimed it was delayed and later said it had been cancelled,” the officer said. When Jain pressed for his money, Thakar allegedly began avoiding him. A local Maharashtra Navnirman Sena leader also allegedly threatened Jain on Thakar’s behalf.

In June 2024, Thakar reportedly filed a complaint against Jain with the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), leading to both being arrested. After securing bail, Jain approached the police and filed a detailed complaint.

L T Marg police have booked Salla, Thakar and Thakar’s relatives under sections 316 (criminal breach of trust) and 318 (cheating) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.