Maninagar woman conned of ₹9 lakh by fake angadia agents

A 55-year-old woman in Maninagar, Ahmedabad has filed a complaint with Navrangpura police, alleging she was duped of ₹9 lakh by conmen posing as representatives of a fake angadia firm operating out of C G Road. Police have registered a case of cheating and criminal conspiracy against three accused who allegedly coordinated the fraud through mobile phones and WhatsApp messages under the guise of transferring money for a gym equipment order.

As per the FIR lodged by Soniaben Banna, a resident of Maningar and a hospital manager by profession, she was arranging to transfer ₹6 lakh to Delhi via angadia for a consignment of exercise equipment ordered for Swar Eleven Gym, located in Ranpura. The scam began on July 17, when she received a call from a man identifying himself as Akashbhai from 'P R Angadia', operating from Samruddhi Complex located at C G Road. He offered to facilitate the transfer and shared the contact number of his associate Vijaybhai.

Trusting the callers, Soniaben contacted Vijaybhai, who claimed he recognised her from a previous visit to her hospital and assured that the transfer to Delhi could be completed the same day. To proceed, she shared the Aadhaar details of her Delhi contact, Navneetbhai Sharma, who was supposed to collect the consignment. She then instructed her assistant Rahulbhai Patel and their accountant Jaideepbhai Chipri to visit the so-called angadia office to deposit the funds.

Around 4.45 pm, the two men visited the address provided by P R Enterprise, Samruddhi Complex, where they met a man claiming to be Vijaybhai. On his instructions, they handed over ₹9 lakh in cash in two tranches: ₹5 lakh initially, followed by ₹4 lakh and left the office.

Meanwhile, the alleged Delhi recipient, Navneetbhai, confirmed he had received a pickup location and reached the site, only to find it deserted. Attempts to contact Akashbhai, Vijaybhai, and the Delhi contact on mobile numbers, respectively, failed — all phones were found switched off.

Later in the evening, when Soniaben’s staff revisited the angadia office, they found it shuttered and unmanned. Despite returning early the next morning, the premises remained shut, and no representatives of the so-called P R Enterprise could be traced. Neighbours and nearby shopkeepers informed them that such offices often operate only briefly and shut down quickly once they complete their operations, a possible indicator of a fly-by-night operation.

Based on Soniaben's complaint and the statements of her staff, police have registered an FIR under BNS sections for criminal breach of trust, cheating, and criminal conspiracy and have launched an investigation.

Navrangpura police are currently tracing the accused using technical surveillance, including call detail records and CCTV footage from the complex. Investigators suspect the operation may be part of a larger organised racket targeting businesses using fake courier or angadia firms to extract large cash deposits under the pretext of urgent intercity money transfers.