12 fake identities, 50 women: Maharashtra ‘rocket man’ launches Rs 1 crore love scam, crash-lands at police station

MUMBAI: Posing as an “ISRO scientist” sometimes and a “senior PWD officer” on other occasions, a 34-year-old man allegedly spun an elaborate web of deception on matrimonial websites and dating apps, targeting educated, financially independent women with the promise of marriage.

Using at least 12 fake identities, forged Aadhaar cards and fabricated official ID cards, he gained the trust of his victims, went on to establish intimate relationships and then persuaded them to take loans to “secure their future” through property investments. The money, police said, was siphoned off into bank accounts arranged by him with the help of a cousin, and later squandered on gambling sprees in Goa.


For all his tall claims, the accused, Adarsh Mhatre, a resident of Alibaug, is just an SSC pass and a history-sheeter with 10 FIRs registered against him across Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Thane, Raigad and Pimpri-Chinchwad. Police suspect he may have targeted nearly 50 women, though many are unwilling to lodge complaints due to social stigma and their family backgrounds. The amount defrauded is at least Rs 1 crore.

Adarsh was arrested on Feb 20 and remanded in police custody until March 4. His cousin, 21-year-old Prem Mhatre from Panvel, was also arrested for allegedly providing his bank account details to facilitate the transfer of the cheated funds, said senior inspector Sunil Shinde of the Navi Mumbai crime branch. DCP (crime) Sachin Gunjal said Adarsh deliberately targeted professionals such as engineers, doctors, bankers and govt officers, as well as widows and spinsters who were financially sound. “He would carefully cultivate relationships, project a successful and respectable image and then exploit their trust,” he said.

With the arrest of the duo, police have so far detected two cases registered at Rabale and Panvel City police stations in October last year and January this year.

In one case, Adarsh allegedly introduced himself as “Swapnil Warule” on a matrimonial platform and befriended an IT engineer from Airoli. The woman later registered an FIR at Rabale police station, alleging that she was defrauded of Rs 20 lakh and sexually assaulted by “Swapnil”, who at the time posed as an “ISRO scientist”. He had convinced her to avail of a pre-approved personal loan of Rs 20 lakh, claiming he needed funds to buy land in Surat as an investment before their marriage. The amount was transferred via RTGS to a bank account provided by him. Police have frozen Rs 14.5 lakh from that account.

Police found that four other women had been similarly cheated. They declined to file complaints and have instead been made witnesses in the Rabale FIR.

According to DCP Gunjal, the accused splurged a large portion of the defrauded money at high-end five-star hotels and casinos in Goa. The total amount cheated from the Airoli complainant and the four witnesses stands at Rs 97 lakh. Police have recovered Rs 89.4 lakh the accused spent at a Goa casino.

Police have recovered multiple forged identity documents during their investigation, including fake Aadhaar cards and fabricated ID cards. They have urged women using matrimonial websites and dating apps to thoroughly verify the background of individuals before accepting proposals or developing relationships.