Rajkot: Four friends from Rajkot city have collectively lost over Rs 1.48 crore after being lured into a high-return scheme allegedly operated by a family with overseas links.The complaint was filed by 28-year-old Virendrasinh Parmar with the detection of crime branch (DCB) police station against Sagar Khunt, Arvind Khunt, Jyotsna Khunt, Gaurang Khunt and others under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Gujarat Protection of Interest of Depositors Act.According to the complaint, Parmar came in contact with Sagar nearly a decade ago at a gaming zone in the city. In 2023, Sagar approached him with an investment opportunity, claiming to run a Dubai-based trading firm named Nisha Investment Consultants. He allegedly promised monthly returns of 4-5% and assured that his family members in Rajkot handled the firm’s financial operations.Trusting the offer, Parmar invested over Rs 56 lakh in phases. Initially, he received regular monthly returns, which encouraged three of his friends to also invest in the scheme. Together, the four friends invested approximately Rs 1.74 crore.While the accused reportedly paid back Rs 26.7 lakh, payments stopped after March 2025. The victims now claim that more than Rs 1.48 crore remains unpaid.Investigating officer P J Parmar said preliminary findings suggest that the accused duped the four friends under the guise of investment returns. “We are examining bank account details and verifying whether more investors have been cheated,” he said.Police have launched a search for the accused, while further investigation was underway to uncover the full extent of the fraud.
