Case against Mumbai firm, management for duping investors of Rs 13.48 crore

NEW DELHI: The directors of a firm have been booked for allegedly defrauding investors of Rs 13.48 crore by offering attractive returns on deposits, Mumbai police officials stated on Monday.The accused include Platinum Hern Private Limited director Sarvesh Ashok Surve, Victoria Covalenko, CEO Taufiq Riyaz (also known as John Carter), general manager Tania Cosatova and store supervisor Valentina Kumar."The irregularity came to light on Monday when several investors realised they had been cheated by the firm, which operates under the 'Torres' brand. They gathered at the Torres Vastu Centre building in Dadar West after learning that several branches of the firm in Mumbai and nearby areas had shut down," the official said.A 31-year-old vegetable vendor from Khar, who filed a complaint, stated he had invested funds between June and December 2024, lured by promises of high returns. "The firm had promised 6 per cent weekly returns on investment in moissanite (a naturally occurring silicon carbide used in jewellery and industrial applications," he stated.The investors reportedly received some payments until December 30, after which the company stopped all disbursements. The complaint was registered at the Shivaji Park police station. A case of cheating, breach of trust, and other offences has been filed under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Maharashtra Protection of Interest of Depositors (MPID) Act against Platinum Hern Private Limited and its management, the official added.