A self-proclaimed monk and his accomplice allegedly deceived a man from Ahmedabad’s Satellite area of ₹3.01 lakh in cash and jewellery under the pretext of performing a ‘Nagdosh’ ritual. The Satellite police have registered a case and launched an investigation into the matter.

Start with a simple request for alms

As per the complainant Roshanbhai Tenuji Dhobi, the incident began on January 12, when a man dressed as a monk visited his residence in Gokul Awas Yojana, seeking alms. Feeling compassionate, Roshanbhai gave him ₹10, but the monk warned him of a ‘Nagdosh’ (a supposed astrological defect) in his fate and offered to perform a ritual to remove it. The two exchanged contact numbers.

Days later, on January 16, Roshanbhai received a call from the monk, demanding ₹17,000 to perform the ritual. Trusting him, he transferred the amount via PhonePe to the number provided.

Gold, silver, and cash provided for the ritual

The scam escalated when Roshanbhai received another call on January 22, from a man claiming to be the monk’s ‘Guru’. He falsely assured Roshanbhai that he had ancestral land and hidden jewellery in Rajasthan, but a ritual was required before he could claim it.

On January 26, Roshanbhai, accompanied by his wife Arunaben and their two daughters, went to Adalaj’s Tri Mandir as instructed. There, they handed over gold and silver ornaments worth lakhs, along with ₹45,000 in cash, to the fraudsters for the ritual. The monk handed over a vessel (matte) wrapped in red cloth, stating that the cash and jewellery were inside it and that they should only open it once the ritual was complete.

Demand for ₹11 lakh raises suspicion

The fraudsters later demanded an additional ₹11 lakh, claiming it was necessary for the ritual's completion. Growing suspicious, Roshanbhai checked the locked vessel (matte) they had been given and found it empty, confirming that they had been deceived.

Among the valuables surrendered were a gold necklace weighing 2 tolas (approx. ₹2.8 lakh), a gold chain weighing 1 tola (₹30,000), a pair of gold earrings (₹60,000), a silver anklet weighing 500 grams (₹30,000). The total loss amounted to ₹3,01,000, including jewellery, cash, and a mobile phone.

After repeated failed attempts to contact the fraudsters, Roshanbhai and his sister-in-law Shardaben finally approached the Satellite police to file a complaint. Following the registration of the FIR, the police are now tracing the fraudsters using mobile records and financial transactions.