Mumbai: Fake call centre that 'sold' viagra to Americans busted

The arrested accused include Santoshi Sanghavi in yellow and Shabbir Khan (in blue) and (right) Ravi Lalvani, (in T-shirt with red sleeves)

The Borivli police have busted a fake call centre that cheated US citizens on the pretext of selling them aphrodisiacs banned in their country, at a 50 per cent discount. The products would not be delivered after the payment was made, said the police. According to the police, the bungalow at Gorai in which the call center was run, was earlier used to run coaching classes. The accused had taken the bungalow on rent and ran the call center under the pretext of "Lifestyle Fitness Centre" since March.

Informer tells the cops

An informer alerted Senior Inspector Ninad Sawant of the Borivli police station about it. "Under the supervision of DCP Ajay Kumar Bansal, a special team was formed and many officers from the Anti-Terrorism Cell, Cyber Cell, and Detection were sent for a raid. In the presence of Inspector Vijay Madye, on Monday night, personnel detained 16 people including two women, and seized 11 hard disks and computers from the spot," a police officer said. Eleven of the employees were let off.

During interrogation, it was found that the accused would call people in the USA on the pretext of selling them sex performance enhancers like Viagra, Cialis, Levitra, and jellies, and would pretend to book their order and take money for it. After the payment through credit and debit card, the person who ordered the products was left waiting for a delivery that was never made.

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Five people were arrested including the call centre owner, while the mastermind is still at large. The arrested accused have been identified as Ravi Lalvani, 44, the owner of the centre; Jitendra Mittal, 31, IT expert; Shabbir Khan, 23, closer - accountant; Shakil Shaikh, 23, closer; and Santoshi Sanghavi, 44, team leader, also in charge of the Lifestyle Fitness Call Centre.

Mastermind at large

"The mastermind, Shadab Shaikh, is at large. He had been arrested in a similar case in the past in Mumbai and also in another state. We are searching for him," said another police officer. The accused have been arrested under sections 276, 417, 419, 420, and 34 of IPC and sections 65, 66(K), 66(D), 72(a), and 75 of the IT Act. "They were produced before the court today and remanded in police custody till December 17," said Senior Inspector Ninad Sawant of Borivli police station.