Fake monk arrested in Ahmedabad for cheating elderly people, stealing gold jewellery

Ahmedabad Police have arrested a man who allegedly posed as a holy man and cheated several elderly people into handing over their gold jewellery. The accused, 30-year-old Sawannath alias Sanjunath Madari from Ganeshpura in Dahegam, was caught by the Zone-7 Local Crime Branch (LCB) after an extensive investigation.

According to police, Madari came from a family that traditionally earned a living by performing snake-charmer shows. After such activities declined due to wildlife protection laws, he allegedly turned  to fraud to make quick money.

Police said he targeted people above the age of 45 who were on their way to temples early in the morning. He would approach them pretending to be a Siddha Baba or Naga Sadhu and start a religious conversation. Using clever psychological tricks, he would gain their trust by making general statements about their family and personal life.

To convince victims, he would first ask for small items such as slippers or a shirt and then return them immediately, making people believe he was trustworthy. Once the victims fully trusted him, he would ask for their gold ornaments and flee with them.

Investigators said the accused took several precautions to avoid being caught. He used a basic keypad phone instead of a smartphone, avoided social media, used vehicles without number plates, and often changed vehicles to hide his identity. He also sold stolen gold in different areas to avoid suspicion.

A team of 12 officers tracked him with the help of informers and local gold traders. He was eventually arrested while allegedly trying to sell stolen gold. Police said his arrest has helped solve multiple cases, including two in Naroda and several others across Gujarat.