Thakar accused of using forged IDs, impersonation and false influence to cheat jeweller
PANAJI
Vaibhav Thakar, who last year met Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and donated 31 laptops to the Goa Police at an event later acknowledged by the Goa CMO on its official X account, has been arrested in Mumbai for allegedly cheating a Zaveri Bazaar jeweller of Rs 2.8 crore.
Mumbai’s LT Marg Police said Thakar, arrested on December 7, had earlier been held by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence in a Rs 200-crore gold trading case. After securing bail, he visited Goa, where he allegedly posed as a well-connected person and made the high-profile donation to the police.
In the latest case, Thakar was produced before a Mumbai court on December 8 and remanded in police custody till December 12. Police said he used forged identity cards to impersonate senior officials and gain the trust of jeweller Shailesh Jain, claiming he could use his influence to procure gold from Customs auctions. Jain then transferred nearly Rs 3 crore. A case has been registered against Thakar and three others, though police believe he is the main accused.
Police also alleged that Thakar forged an identity card in the name of a personal assistant to a Maharashtra MLA, apparently to enter the State Legislative Assembly. Officers said this points to a broader pattern of impersonation to gain access to government offices and approach officials and potential victims. LT Marg Police said Thakar was traced after weeks of search efforts, and more victims are expected to come forward.
