Couple Dupes Four of Rs 2.16 Crore with Fake Story About IT Raid and Rs 700 Crore Seized

PTI, August 08, 2025, Mumbai : A man and his wife have allegedly duped four individuals of Rs 2.16 crore by telling them that Rs 700 crore in their bank accounts had been frozen following an Income Tax department raid, a Nashik police official said on Friday.

Krunal Dekate has been arrested, while efforts are underway to apprehend his wife, Ravina Dekate Khilare, the official added.

The couple borrowed Rs 2.16 crore from four persons between February and March of this year at Old Gangapur, Nashik, but avoided repayment. This led one of the victims, 47-year-old farmer Dnyaneshwar Tidke, to file a case against them at the Sarkarwada police station.

Tidke, who was involved in land transactions in Dindori, had come into contact with the couple during these dealings. According to the official, Krunal Dekate told Tidke that the IT department had raided his flat, seized Rs 6 crore from his residence, and frozen Rs 700 crore in his wife’s bank accounts following the raids.

"Dekate informed Tidke that he needed Rs 50 lakh to complete a land deal, which would allow them to access funds from the transaction. Tidke ended up giving them Rs 65 lakh over the span of a month," the official explained. The couple also allegedly took Rs 1.60 lakh from three other victims using the same method, claiming they had political connections.

Based on Tidke’s complaint, the couple has been booked for criminal breach of trust, cheating, and other offenses under the Indian Penal Code (Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita), the official confirmed.

"It has also come to light that the couple may have cheated some individuals in Gujarat as well. Further investigation into the case is underway," the official added.