Ahmedabad LCB nabs ‘tantrik’ who duped woman of gold jewellery, linked to cases in Palanpur, Rajkot

The Local Crime Branch (LCB), Zone-7 of Ahmedabad City Police has arrested a 27-year-old man accused of posing as a spiritual healer to dupe unsuspecting victims and steal their valuables, officials said on Wednesday.

The accused, identified as Mukesh Nath alias Natwarnath Viramnath Chauhan, a resident of Sabarkantha district, was apprehended following a tip-off during routine patrolling by LCB personnel.

According to police, Chauhan allegedly targeted women by approaching them in public places, claiming to possess spiritual or 'tantrik' powers. He would then engage them in conversation, win their confidence, and persuade them to hand over their jewellery in the name of religious rituals or 'bhakti', before fleeing with the valuables.

“The accused would exploit the victim’s belief in faith-based practices. Once he gained their trust, he would convince them to remove their jewellery for a supposed ritual and escape with it,” a police officer said.

The latest case pertains to an incident in the Palanpur area, where the accused allegedly duped a woman and fled with gold ornaments. Acting on intelligence, a team led by Police Sub-Inspector H D Vaghela intercepted and detained the suspect.

During the operation, police recovered stolen gold earrings valued at approximately ₹1.75 lakh from his possession.

Further interrogation revealed that Chauhan was also wanted in a similar offence registered at the Gandhigram Police Station in Rajkot, where he had allegedly committed a comparable fraud and had been absconding.

Police said he also has a prior criminal record, with cases registered against him at Vasana and Ramol police stations in Ahmedabad for theft and cheating-related offences.

A case has been registered in connection with the Palanpur incident under relevant sections of the law, and further investigation is underway to identify additional victims and trace any accomplices.

Officials said the arrest has helped solve a previously undetected case and may lead to breakthroughs in similar complaints reported in different parts of the state.