Aditya Jogani case: EOW makes second arrest in Rs 4 crore con

Aditya Jogani and Abhay Kumar Jain

The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) recently made a significant arrest in a case involving a 57-year-old diamond merchant from Delhi, linking him to an infamous serial conman - south Mumbai-based diamond merchant Aditya Jogani. Jogani - known for his unique method of deceit - has duped several people by impersonating high-ranking government officials, particularly officers from intelligence agencies and senior politicians.

The second accused, Abhay Kumar Jain, who went by the alias Ajay Dave, was recently apprehended by the EOW from Delhi. The duo's modus operandi was a well-orchestrated act, with Jogani highlighting the role of Ajay Dave and exploiting his persona to settle various matters pending with the government, clear bureaucratic files, secure government tenders, and even offer aid to have names cleared in police cases. Jogani's charm and manipulative tactics were instrumental in luring victims into a false sense of security.

A Santacruz-based businessman - convinced by Jogani and Jain's orchestrated persona - fell prey and handed over Rs 4 crore. The complainant alleged that the sum was paid to ensure a meeting with the director of AIIMS hospital in Delhi, as part of a project associated with a Germany-based company specialising in non-invasive post-mortem examinations, which is a tricky and specialised field.

The diligent efforts of the EOW, led by Police Inspector Nitin Patil and his team, resulted in recovery of the entire amount which turned out to be a crucial step in unravelling the scam. Additionally, a Mercedes worth R50 lakh which belonged to Jogani was seized during the operation.

However, the investigation conducted by the EOW revealed there was no person by the name of Ajay Dave. Jogani had been the sole point of contact, leveraging his fabricated identity as the personal secretary to the former BMC commissioner Ajoy Mehta. Jain, pretending to be Dave, would then meet the clients, reinforcing the illusion.

The EOW suspects that the duo has been involved in duping people since 2018, impersonating government officials and using their purported ‘close connections with the BJP'. "It's highly likely that they managed to accomplish some of their tasks by contacting officers from various departments. We are believe that there are more victims," said an officer. "The EOW's efforts in uncovering this deception restored a sense of justice and emphasise the importance of a vigilant and robust legal system," said Nishith Mishra, joint commissioner, EOW.