Registered 'directors' of phishing centre live in Borivli, Virar chawls

(From left) Ganesh Manjarekar and his mother at their Borivli residence. Pic/Nimesh Dave; Ganesh Tiruvalli

The residences of directors of Stage Door Communication Private Limited (SDCPL), the Thane-based fake call centre busted by mid-day and being probed by Solapur police for duping a trio of Rs 11.13 lakh, were traced to Borvili and Virar. mid-day found Ganesh Tiruvalli and Ganesh Manjarekar's homes in chawls in the two suburbs.

Manjarekar's residence is in Kolapate chawl at Aliyavar Jung Marg in Kajupada area of Borivli East. He was not at home when mid-day visited him at 12.30 pm on Tuesday. His mother invited mid-day insider. "My son works at a builder's office but I don't have any information about his job profile. My husband died 20 years ago and my son is still struggling. He leaves early from home every day and returns late at night. I don't know if he is running a fake call centre," she said.

Ganesh Manjarekar's Borivli East residence. Pic/Nimesh Dave

When the woman called Manjarekar, and told him that a 'reporter has come home', Manjarekar got angry and instructed his mother to not share any information about him.
During the visit, mid-day called Manjarekar on his phone. "How dare you go to my house? Leave my house immediately," Manjarekar told mid-day.

When mid-day enquired about the ongoing fraud at SDCPL, Manjarekar said, "I don't want to talk to you about this now. Come to my office if you want to talk. Get lost from my home right now." Manjarekar was often seen at the SDCPL office during mid-day's week-long undercover investigation.

Ganesh Tiruvalli's parents at their residence in Virar

On the other hand, Tiruvalli's parents, at his residence in Indira Nagar chawl in Virar East, said they have not been in touch with him for five years.

"We have cut all contact with him. We don't know what he does and where he lives," said his mother, Kalpana, who lives with her husband and younger son.

"I don't even have his mobile number, nor does he call me after he had a love marriage. His wife and I do not get along and hence Ganesh stopped living with us five years ago. I heard that he lives somewhere in Mira Road," she added.

His father, Prasad Rao Tiruvalli, "We have been living in this chawl for 40 years. We are law-abiding people. I don't know if my son is the director of a Thane-based call centre. He hasn't visited us for five years. I was unwell a few months ago. I am sure he must have heard about it, yet he did not even call me. We are happy with our life. If he has done anything illegal, then the law will take its course," he said.

Thane police have not visited either of the residences. The company's registered office is at Hazra Road, Kolkata in West Bengal. Solapur police had told mid-day that it is in Kolkata that the company's illegally earned money is being withdrawn.

"Chances are that big players are involved but not on the radar. Tiruvalli and Manjarekar must have been made directors just to be shields while the real players remain behind the scenes," said a senior police officer requesting anonymity.

Executives at Bajaj Finance Ltd told mid-day that no FIR has been registered by Thane police so far. "Crucial evidence will be destroyed if the registration of FIR is delayed. The mobile phones are crucial evidence and must be seized immediately," the executive said.

Thane police commissioner Vivek Phansalkar is yet to break his silence on the phishing operation which dupes hundreds of people of lakhs of rupees. Other officers from Thane police, too, remained silent. Meanwhile, mid-day has learnt that SDCPL, which is still operational, has become extra cautious in hiring their 'sales persons'.

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