New Delhi, Oct 2: As the nation observes Gandhi Jayanti, a bizarre case has grabbed attention across social media. An Ahmedabad gold trader, Mehul Thakkar, lost 2 kg of gold worth Rs 1.3 crore to scammers who handed over fake currency notes featuring the image of Bollywood actor Anupam Kher instead of Mahatma Gandhi.
Thakkar, a long-time gold and silver trader, was approached by the manager of Laxmi Jewellers on September 23, with whom he had a 15-year business relationship. The manager enquired about the price of over 2 kg of gold for a third-party buyer. Trusting the deal, Thakkar agreed to sell the gold for Rs 1.6 crore.
The next day, September 24, the buyer expressed urgency in acquiring the gold, citing technical difficulties with the RTGS system. As a result, they proposed handing over a cash security deposit while promising to transfer the remaining amount later.
The exchange took place at a newly established Angadia firm in the Navrangpura area. Thakkar sent an employee to deliver the gold. Upon arrival, the employee found three persons, one using a currency counting machine. After handing over the gold, he noticed something suspicious about the cash. Instead of Mahatma Gandhi, the notes featured Anupam Kher’s image, with the "Star Bank of India" printed where the State Bank of India’s logo should have been.
Realising the scam, Thakkar and the Laxmi Jewellers manager rushed to the scene, only to discover that the Angadia firm had been operating for merely two days. Attempts to contact the manager’s acquaintance failed, as the phone was switched off.
Thakkar promptly filed a police complaint, and authorities are now reviewing CCTV footage in an attempt to track down the culprits.
Even Anupam Kher responded to the incident on social media, tweeting, "My photo instead of Gandhiji’s photo on Rs 500 notes???? Anything can happen (sic)." The case has drawn widespread attention, further highlighting the ingenuity and audacity of fraudsters.
