Team Goemkarponn
PERNEM: In a major breakthrough, the Mopa Airport Police arrested three persons for allegedly posing as Naga Sadhus and cheating a 59-year-old man of his gold jewellery and cash worth ₹1.20 lakh. The accused were traced to Maharashtra following an interstate investigation, and the stolen gold ornaments were recovered.
According to police, Crime No. 25/2026 was registered on June 8 under Section 318(2) read with Section 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, based on a complaint filed by Suryakant Mukund Vir, a resident of Torxem, Pernem.
The complainant stated that between 9 a.m. and 9.15 a.m. on June 8, a man dressed as a Naga Sadhu, accompanied by two associates, gained his confidence by claiming that he would bless his jewellery. Believing the claim, the complainant handed over his gold chain, gold ring and ₹2,600 in cash. The trio then fled with the valuables, collectively worth approximately ₹1.20 lakh.
During the investigation, the complainant informed police that he could only note the last four digits of the white car used by the accused and remembered that it displayed a Naga Sadhu picture on the rear windshield. CCTV footage helped police identify the vehicle as a white Volkswagen Polo bearing registration number GJ-01-RB-0006, which had already crossed the Patradevi border into Maharashtra.
Under the supervision of Superintendent of Police (North) Harishchandra Madkaikar and SDPO Pernem Salim Shaik, and the guidance of Police Inspector Ninad Deulkar, Investigating Officer PSI Sagar Vazarkar launched an intensive investigation. Police obtained details of the vehicle owner, who informed them that the car had already been sold to another person. The suspect’s phone details were analysed, while the PRISM surveillance team simultaneously tracked the movements of the accused.
A team comprising PSI Sagar Vazarkar and personnel from Mopa Airport Police Station proceeded to Dhule, Maharashtra, and coordinated with Dhule District Police. The three suspects were detained within the jurisdiction of Dhule Taluka Police Station along with the Volkswagen Polo car.
The accused have been identified as Narunath Parasnath Madari (39) of Madari Nagar, Dehgam, Gandhinagar, Gujarat; Dipaknath Suramnath Madari (26) of Taiyabpura, Kapadvanj, Kheda, Gujarat; and Jannath Parasnath Madari (26) of Madari Nagar, Dehgam, Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
Police recovered the stolen gold chain and gold ring from the possession of the accused. After obtaining transit remand, all three were brought to Mopa Airport Police Station on June 14 and formally arrested. Further investigation is in progress under PSI Sagar Vazarkar.
