DCP Hitesh Yadav said Kalpesh had been duping victims in multiple states for around 25 years
Gurgaon: When a car broke down near Pachgaon Chowk this Feb, it drew the attention of 45-year-old Solanki Prabhubhai Gulshanbhai alias Kalpesh. Having conned people for over two decades in different cities, especially the rich, he recognised an opportunity.
Dressed in rags, he walked up to the stationary Audi, pretending to have just come from an excavation with a treasure that he was keen to get rid of.What? The question from the man in the Audi meant Kalpesh’s plan was working.Gold and silver coins, Kalpesh told him — found during a railway dig. Feigning anxiety, he wondered how he could sell them to jewellers without catching the authorities’ attention. This was, after all, worth a fortune.
He suggested he could sell at a lower price. When he had the attention of his target — who happened to be a city-based exporter — he offered a few coins — go test them and we have a deal when you’re satisfied, he told him.The exporter took it up. The coins were vetted and found to be genuine. Kalpesh gave a number to call. The exporter did, saying he was ready to buy it all. The transaction that followed ran into Rs 2.5 crore and 50 gold tolas.
The bulk of the coins Kalpesh delivered in exchange were fake.The conman and four of his aides were arrested this week, with Gurgaon police claiming to have busted an interstate gang that has been at this for years and had allegedly earlier duped actor Aditya Pancholi and the personal assistant of Salim Khan.According to police, the exporter borrowed heavily from relatives and friends and even parted with ancestral ornaments belonging to family members to pocket what he thought was a treasure trove at a bargain.The crime branch Sector 43 team, led by Inspector Narender Sharma, arrested the four accused. Kalpesh and his driver Pankaj Sharma were nabbed from Vadodara and brought to Gurgaon on April 12, while Manish Kamlesh Shah and Ishwar Marwadi were nabbed from Gujarat on April 15.DCP Hitesh Yadav said Kalpesh had been duping victims in multiple states for around 25 years. Around 15 years ago, he allegedly cheated Pancholi of Rs 20 lakh and also duped Salim Khan’s aide of Rs 25 lakh.
Police sources said no formal complaints were filed in those cases.The present case was registered at Sushant Lok police station on April 1 following the exporter’s complaint. He alleged that he was targeted on Feb 13 while repairing his Audi near Pachgaon Chowk.Police said the gang conducted recces along highways and targeted people with high-end cars, especially those stranded or repairing vehicles. Kalpesh would approach victims posing as a labourer or JCB operator and claim he found gold coins during excavation near railway lines or construction sites but could not sell them openly for fear of police action.To gain trust, the accused would first hand over a few genuine coins. Once these were verified at jewellery shops, the victim’s confidence would grow, police said. After repeated interactions, the gang would strike a deal for a larger quantity, offering it at Rs 25-30 lakh per kilogram to lure victims with the prospect of high profits.On March 2, after gaining the businessman’s confidence, the accused visited his residence in Sushant Lok and collected the money and gold.
In return, they handed over fake coins made of brass and gold-plated copper before fleeing.During the probe, police also identified the role of a jeweller who allegedly helped prepare fake gold coins that closely resembled genuine ones. Two women members of the gang have also been identified. They are currently lodged in a jail in Kota and will be brought on production warrants for questioning, police said.Kalpesh has multiple cases registered against him in Gujarat, Maharashtra and Rajasthan — at least nine FIRs in total.
“Using proceeds of crime, he built substantial assets, including purchasing a hotel on the Delhi-Mumbai highway near Karjan in Gujarat. He also ventured into the film industry by producing a Gujarati movie titled ‘Love You’ and attempted to gain political clout by fielding one of his wives in municipal elections.
He was nabbed while his wife was filing nomination papers for MC elections in their hometown,” said Yadav. Kalpesh has four wives.Police have recovered Rs 2.3 crore in cash and 678 grams of gold from the accused. The income tax department is likely to join the probe.
