NEW DELHI: Delhi Police have arrested a man posing as a tantric and his two aides for allegedly cheating a 79-year-old man in northeast Delhi of about Rs 39.3 lakh. Police said on Thursday that the accused promised to recover buried ancestral gold through occult rituals. They also allegedly stole gold jewellery worth Rs 15 lakh from the man’s house during one of these rituals.
How the alleged fraud worked
Police said the accused first won the elderly man’s trust by showing him a real gold coin. They then promised to dig out treasure buried by his ancestors. Believing them, the man made several payments in cash and through UPI. Later, the accused allegedly performed a ritual at his home and stole jewellery from his cupboard.
The night of the ritual
The case was registered at Seemapuri police station after a complaint by Girijesh Singh. He alleged that the accused cheated him of around Rs 39 lakh through cash and UPI payments.
On the night of August 4, the accused allegedly performed a ritual at Singh’s home. They used steel pots filled with soil and fake gold biscuits. Singh alleged that he was given a sedative and lost consciousness. When he woke up, jewellery worth around Rs 15 lakh was missing from his cupboard.
How police caught them
Police used technical surveillance and studied several leads. These led them to the main accused, who had been calling himself Krishna Pandit, in Amba Vihar in Muzaffarnagar. His real identity was found to be Tahsin, and he was arrested.
During the investigation, police also arrested two others, Shoaib Ali and Mahakader Khan. They allegedly introduced Singh to the fake tantric and helped arrange the money transfers.
Who the accused are
- Tahsin, also known as Krishna Sharma or Krishna Pandit (48), from Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh
- Shoaib Ali (40), from Dasna in Ghaziabad
- Mahakader Khan (48), from Paschim Midnapur, West Bengal
What police recovered
Police recovered Rs 2.73 lakh in cash and an SUV allegedly used in the crime. They also found tantric clothing, 11 rings, two Aadhaar cards in the names of Tahsin and Krishna Sharma, a PAN card, an ATM card and two mobile phones.
Police suspect more victims
Investigators suspect that the accused used many fake identities and staged religious rituals to gain people’s trust. They believe this was how the gang made victims hand over money and valuables. The investigation is still going on.
The claims in this report come from police statements and the complainant. The accused have not been proven guilty in court.
How to stay safe
- Do not trust anyone who promises hidden treasure or quick riches.
- Never pay strangers for “special rituals” or “treasure recovery”.
- Talk to family members before making any large payment, especially if someone asks you to keep it secret or pay urgently.
- Report suspicious people to the police.
