A shocking case of fraud has come to light in Juhu, where a woman doctor was deceived by a man she met on a matrimonial website. The accused, posing as a senior official at the US Embassy, proposed marriage to her and later took ₹2 lakh under the pretext of helping her obtain a US visa.
The Juhu police have registered a case of fraud under IT Act sections against the main accused, Shailesh Parikh, and his accomplice, Beena Shailesh Parikh. The police are currently on the lookout for both suspects. The fraud was exposed when Shailesh accidentally made a video call, revealing that he was not in the US but in Mumbai, traveling in an auto-rickshaw.
The 52-year-old complainant, a doctor residing in Juhu with her elderly father, is currently employed at Lilavati Hospital. Around 15 years ago, she had registered her profile on a matrimonial website, where she came in contact with Shailesh Parikh. He introduced himself as a US resident working as a senior official at the US Embassy and claimed to own a flat in Juhu. Over time, they developed a good friendship and stayed in touch via social media and mobile communication.
During their interactions, Shailesh repeatedly proposed marriage to her, but she declined. Last year, the doctor had applied for a US visa but was denied due to technical reasons. Seeking assistance, she reached out to Shailesh, believing in his claims of being a senior embassy official. She also mentioned that her nephew, who was studying MBBS in the US, needed a visa for a medical college event.
Soon after, a woman named Beena Parikh contacted the doctor, demanding money for visa processing. Trusting them, the doctor initially transferred ₹7,000 online. Over time, Beena kept asking for more money, and the doctor ended up sending a total of ₹2,02,000 in installments. However, she never received the visa.
On February 15, Shailesh mistakenly made a video call to the complainant. To her shock, she saw him traveling in an auto-rickshaw in Mumbai instead of being in the US. Realizing she had been duped, she immediately approached Juhu Police and lodged a complaint.
After verification, the police registered a case against Shailesh and Beena Parikh under fraud and IT Act provisions. Further investigations are underway to apprehend the accused.