Perth-based NRI messaged 3,000 women on matrimonial site using fake identity

An Indian-origin man based in Australia has been arrested by Pune Police for allegedly creating a fake profile on a matrimonial website and cheating a woman here of Rs 3.6 crore after promising to marry her.

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Police on Thursday also appealed other women who might have fallen prey to a similar fraud by the conman, who posed as ‘Dr Rohit Oberoi’, to come forward and file a complaint.

The accused, whose real name is Abhishek Shukla and who hails from Lucknow but holds an Australian passport, was arrested at the Mumbai airport on Wednesday.

"The woman, originally from Delhi and currently living in Pune, had created a profile on a matrimonial portal, seeking a life partner. The accused contacted her sometime in 2023, befriended her, and won her trust by promising marriage," said Pankaj Deshmukh, Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime).

The two stayed together at various locations in Pune and other parts of India.

"The woman had received Rs 5 crore as alimony from her previous marriage and was in the process of setting up a business focused on mindfulness and spirituality programs for children. Learning about her financial status, the accused lured her into a fake business proposal, claiming he would help take her venture to the international level and arrange funding," Deshmukh said.

Shukla allegedly introduced the woman to two of his `associates', `Yvonne Handayani' and `Vincent Kuan' who purportedly lived in Singapore, and convinced her to transfer money to various accounts in India and Singapore. Over a period, the woman transferred Rs 3.6 crore, said the police official.

Later, the accused claimed to have developed oral cancer, and gradually cut off contact with her.

"In September 2024, the woman received an email from 'Vincent Kuan' stating that `Dr Rohit Oberoi' had died. Suspecting foul play, she informed a friend, who alerted her to the possibility of a fraud. She found out that she had been conned, and approached the Pune cyber police station in November 2024," additional commissioner Deshmukh said.

The police ascertained that the accused's real name was Abhishek Shukla, and he was a resident of Perth, Australia. A case of cheating was registered and a Look-Out Circular issued against him.

On Wednesday, police received information that he was arriving in Mumbai from Singapore. A team led by sub-inspector Sushil Damre apprehended Shukla at the Mumbai airport and put him under arrest.

"Technical analysis of the accused's digital activity showed he had messaged at least 3,194 women using the fake identity `Dr Rohit Oberoi' through the matrimonial site. The scope of the fraud may be much larger, and further investigations are under way," Deshmukh said.

Senior inspector Swapnali Shinde of Pune Cyber Police, who is investigating the case, appealed to the women who might have been conned by the accused to contact police through email ID 'crimecyber.pune@nic and phone numbers 7058719371/75.