Actress’ husband held for duping woman of Rs 40 lakh

An event manager, who is the husband of a television actress, allegedly duped a 32-year-old Malad resident to the tune of Rs 40 lakh on the pretext of setting up a business for her.

The complainant, after realising that she was cheated, approached the Malad police station earlier this month, after which the accused was arrested. On Saturday he was produced in court where he was remanded in judicial custody till September 3. According to police officials, the accused, Vivek Champalal Mehta (31), is the husband of television actress Sandhya Gemawat Mehta, who was seen in shows like Mahima Maa Jagdambe Ki, Savdhan India and Fear Files. Vivek Mehta works as an event manager.

Speaking about the alleged fraud, the complainant told The Asian Age that almost a year ago, she met Mehta at a function where the latter informed her that he was setting up a car accessory business and she could join him. Furthermore, he made many calls to the complainant and allegedly lured her. In the second half of 2015 she paid almost Rs 40 lakh to Mehta. “I got all the money from my friends on interest, and Mehta told me that he was carrying out bidding for tenders or getting deliveries soon, but he never gave me any receipt or statement of the expenses, and finally, when I realised that I was cheated, I started asking for my money. Mehta harassed me, abused me and even assaulted me,” said the complainant. She further alleged, “He is threatening my family and me, and I fear he is going to harm me after he gets released on bail.”

Police officers have claimed their investigation revealed that Mehta had splurged the money on gambling, betting and beer bars. The Malad police has arrested him under Section 420 (cheating), 354 (assault), 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code.

The preliminary police investigation has revealed that as the accused is from a good family, he used his wife’s status to portray himself as a well-to do businessman. The police is acting on suspicions that Mehta may have cheated others as well using the same modus operandi.