Sheetal Bhagat’s assistant duped of ₹4.8 lakh

A case has been registered against an unknown accused after an assistant to Sheetal Bhagat, ex-wife of industrialist Atulya Mafatlal, was cheated of ₹4.8 lakh by cyber frauds. The accused used an email address bearing Bhagat’s name to ask the assistant to deposit the money in a Delhi-based bank account.

MUMBAI: The D B Marg police have registered a case against an unknown accused after Manoj Shah, 75, assistant to Sheetal Bhagat (ex-wife of industrialist Atulya Mafatlal), was cheated of ₹4.8 lakh by unknown cyber frauds. Police said the accused used an email address bearing Bhagat’s name as well as that of Mafatlal Luxe, a luxury brand consultancy founded by her, and asked the assistant to deposit ₹4.8 lakh in a Delhi-based bank account, which he complied with.

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According to the police, the complainant Manoj Shah takes care of Bhagat’s company Sheetal Trading and Interior Private Limited, based in Opera House. Bhagat, who mostly lives in London, stays is in touch with him through phone, email and WhatsApp.

“On November 16, Shah received an email from an address bearing Sheetal Bhagat’s name, stating she was busy in a meeting. Asking not to be disturbed, the sender asked Shah to send ₹4.8 lakh to a New Delhi-based bank account,” said a police officer.

Shah transferred the money to the said account via Real-Time Gross Settlement (RTGS), following which he sent the transfer slip to Bhagat.

“She immediately called him and told him that she had not asked for the money transfer. When he checked the email address properly, he realised that it was slightly different from Bhagat’s original email address,” said the officer.

Shah then approached the police, and a case was registered against an unknown accused under sections 419 (punishment for cheating by personation) and 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code and section 66 C (identity theft) and 66 D (punishment for cheating by personation by using computer resource) of the Information Technology Act.