Sakkardara Police have busted a Thane-based gang and arrested five people for looting male job aspirants on the pretext of providing them a job as a male escort. The incident came to light when one of the victims lodged a complaint with Sakkardara Police.

The gang, which was operating under the name of Friendship Club, would release advertisements in local newspapers promising unemployed men with a chance to earn high income by serving high profile rich women. Once contact was made by a man, the gang would tell him to deposit money in a bank account citing different reasons. The gang would then run away with the money. Operating since the last seven years, the gang has duped many men from Nagpur, Pune, Thane and Mumbai. The victims never lodged complaints with the police fearing social stigma.

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The gang was arrested after a 35-year-old unemployed married man lodged a complaint with Sakkadara Police. The man had contacted the gang in May 2018. His call was received by a woman who directed him to deposit Rs 1,000 as an enrolment fee. After two days, he deposited Rs 15,000 to book a room at a hotel with a ?client. The man kept depositing the money in the bank account thinking that it was necessary to get the ?job. He had even mortgaged his wifes gold ornaments to deposit the money. After depositing close to Rs 1.26 lakh in six different transactions, the man realised that he had been duped. The fraud left the man suicidal. His wife, who noticed a change in her husband, came to know about the fraud and encouraged him to lodge a complaint with Sakkadara Police.

The investigation by the police led them to Thane, from where the police team arrested the prime accused Ritesh Chamar (34) and four other women from western Maharashtra. Women who have been arrested are: Suvarna Nikam (33), Pallavi Patil (21), Shilpa Sarwate (52) and Nisha Mate (24). These woman were employed by Chamar to work from home and speak to clients. The arrest was made by Sakkardara Police under the guidance of DCP Zone IV Nilesh Bharne and ACP Ravindra Kapgate.