Mumbai: Santacruz police registered a case against three men on Nov 6 after a senior citizen from Santacruz (W) was duped of Rs 1.5 lakh. The victim, MD Mangi (76), was persuaded by two of the accused who told him they knew a person capable of solving his financial problems and promised that the victim will earn money by claiming that Satan could make it rain money. Illyaz Moosani (35) and Sohail Shaikh (35) were arrested during the probe on Sunday; the third suspect remains at large.Mangi’s wife had been undergoing treatment for the last two years, and he was in dire need of funds. He mortgaged a milk shop for Rs 3 lakh and a house for Rs 2 lakh to cover her medical expenses.When the accused learned of his plight, they assured him they could produce money through black magic. “The accused asked him to arrange Rs 1.5 lakhs for money rain to happen through black magic. They cheated him by giving fake notes of Rs 77,000 and fled away to Gujarat,” said a police officer of the Santacruz police station.In his complaint, Mangi said, “The accused got in touch with me through one of my relative. On Oct 25, the accused told that they knew a person, Khan Saheb, who could help to remove my financial problem, who can make it rain money.” The duo took him to a spot on Juhu Tara Road where they introduced him to Khan Saheb. “The conmen with his handiwork showed money earned through black magic after placing a black cloth on the floor. This made Mangi ready to arrange the money and met the accused with Rs 1.5 lakhs. They handed over a bag claiming it contained double the money and left for Surat with Rs 1.5 lakhs,” said a police officer.Mangi realised he had been duped only when he opened the bag and found it contained play notes bearing fictitious bank names. “Mangi arranged the money hoping that he can raise funds to clear the debts, that he had taken for his wife’s treatment, after mortgaging his shop and house,” said the officer.The accused ran a kite shop and a vegetable shop and were aware of the funds Mangi had obtained through his mortgages, which prompted them to plan the fraud. The two are in police custody while efforts continue to trace the third suspect.
