MUMBAI: A 34-year-old man who allegedly posed as an “ISRO scientist” and, at times, a “senior PWD officer” has been arrested for orchestrating a multi-crore marriage scam through matrimonial websites and dating apps. Police say he used at least 12 fake identities to target educated, financially independent women, promising marriage before duping them of large sums of money.
The accused, identified as Adarsh Mhatre from Alibaug, allegedly created forged Aadhaar and fabricated official ID cards to bolster his claims. Investigators say he built intimate relationships with his victims and persuaded them to take personal loans under the pretext of securing their future through property investments. The funds were allegedly routed to bank accounts arranged with the help of his cousin and later squandered at casinos and luxury hotels in Goa.
Despite presenting himself as a high-ranking professional, Mhatre is reportedly an SSC pass and a repeat offender with 10 FIRs registered against him across Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Thane, Raigad and Pimpri-Chinchwad. Police suspect he may have targeted nearly 50 women, though many have refrained from filing complaints due to social stigma and family concerns. The total amount allegedly cheated is estimated to be over Rs 1 crore.
Mhatre was arrested on February 20 and remanded to police custody until March 4. His 21-year-old cousin, Prem Mhatre from Panvel, was also taken into custody for allegedly providing bank account details used to transfer the funds. The arrests were made by the Navi Mumbai crime branch.
According to police, Mhatre deliberately focused on professionals such as engineers, doctors, bankers and government officials, as well as financially stable widows and unmarried women. “He would carefully build trust, project a successful and respectable image and then exploit it,” an officer said.
So far, two cases have been registered at Rabale and Panvel City police stations in October last year and January this year.
In one case, Mhatre allegedly used the name “Swapnil Warule” on a matrimonial platform and befriended an IT engineer from Airoli. The woman later filed a complaint at Rabale police station, claiming she was cheated of Rs 20 lakh and sexually assaulted by the accused, who at the time claimed to be an ISRO scientist. He allegedly convinced her to take a pre-approved personal loan to invest in land in Surat ahead of their planned marriage. The money was transferred via RTGS to an account provided by him, from which police have frozen Rs 14.5 lakh.
Investigators found that at least four other women were similarly defrauded, though they have chosen to act as witnesses rather than file separate complaints.
Police said a significant portion of the money was spent at five-star hotels and casinos in Goa. From the Airoli complainant and four witnesses alone, the accused is believed to have siphoned off Rs 97 lakh, of which Rs 89.4 lakh was spent at a Goa casino and has since been recovered.
Multiple forged identity documents, including fake Aadhaar and fabricated ID cards, have been seized. Police have urged users of matrimonial sites and dating apps to verify the credentials of prospective partners before entering into financial or personal commitments.
