Man held for duping 14 devotees of ₹9 crore through fake Dubai schemes

The man was arrested held by Delhi Police for duping 14 devotees of spiritual leader 'Guruji' of over ₹9 crore through fake Dubai-based investment schemes

The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Delhi Police has arrested a 44-year-old man for allegedly defrauding 14 followers of a spiritual leader of more than ₹9 crore through bogus investment schemes that promised high returns.

 

The accused, identified as Mohit Wadhwa alias Manu, was arrested on May 9 from the Subhash Nagar area, according to police officials.

 

Wadhwa and his associates — devotees of a spiritual figure known as Guruji — attended satsangs (spiritual gatherings) held at Bade Mandir in Chhatarpur. It was during these congregations that they allegedly earned the confidence of fellow devotees.

 

“Leveraging the trust built within the religious community, they allegedly lured victims to invest in various schemes based in Dubai. The accused promised extraordinarily high returns and collected around Rs 9 crore in multiple installments between September 2017 and September 2020,” news agency PTI quoted Deputy Commissioner of Police (EOW) Amit Verma as saying.

 

 

Complaint sparks investigation

 

The case came to light following a complaint lodged by one Gurpreet Kaur Rai. As the probe progressed, three more families came forward with similar allegations, raising the number of known victims to 14, the officer said.

 

Complainants reported that the accused consistently made verbal assurances but failed to return their investments or furnish any documents to support the claimed financial schemes.

 

“The evidence gathered so far confirms the allegations against Mohit Wadhwa and efforts are on to trace his associates,” Verma said.

 

Preliminary findings also indicate that part of the funds was diverted into cryptocurrency investments, while a significant portion was allegedly used to support a lavish lifestyle.

 

Repeat offender with a history of deceit

 

Police said Wadhwa previously hosted spiritual gatherings at his home that drew large numbers of Guruji’s followers. “He exploited their faith and trust for personal gain,” the officer said, adding that Wadhwa had earlier been arrested in a similar cheating case involving investors.

 

A case has been registered under sections 406 (criminal breach of trust), 420 (cheating), and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code at the EOW police station.

 

(With PTI inputs)