Man cheats youths posing as Navy officer and promising jobs

A man who posed as a naval officer and cheated more than 25 youngsters of more than Rs 3 lakh promising to secure them jobs in the Navy, was arrested by the Colaba police on Friday.

The accused, identified as a Vinod Vishnu Gaikwad, 27, is a resident of Titwala. Three days ago, two youngsters approached Colaba police station SPI Sandip Narsale and complained they found a Naval official’s behaviour suspicious, as he had taken money from them but had not secured them a job.

Mr Narsale said, “Gaikwad has cheated so many people and we are getting details of everyone who has been cheated. He used to stand near colleges wearing a Navy uniform. He used to tell students he was waiting for his car... Then he used to assure he would help them get a job in the Navy asked their parents to talk to him. After his first meeting with the parents, he used to take Rs 50 thousand, and at the second meeting Rs 70,000 or Rs 50,000 according to the deal. And finally while giving an appointment letter he would take lakhs of rupees from parents.”

Complainant Sunil Tokde said, “We met him at a hospital when visiting our relative and he told us he is a Navy officer. We met Gaikwad twice and gave him '1 lakh. He gave us an appointment letter after five months and asked us strictly not to open it. But when we opened it we found some random papers and the form my son had submitted on the first day. Then we decided to inform the Colaba police. We called him and said our friend wants to join the Navy. He was ready to meet us.”