The Crime Branch Unit 12 of the Mumbai police apprehended three individuals allegedly involved in a rice-puller metal scam on Sunday. The suspects attempted to deceive a resident of Malad into investing Rs 10 lakh with a promise of Rs 200 crore in return. The trio admitted to conning at least 10 people, including the complainant, by enticing them to invest in a “rare metal used in space exploration”, purportedly valued at Rs 300 crore. The suspects have been identified as Harish Kumar J, 34, Harish Shetty, 57, and Shaikh Khalil Ansari, 64.

According to the police, the complainant—a 34-year-old resident of Pathan Wadi in Malad East—was introduced to Shetty by his acquaintance Abdul Hamid. Shetty acted as a mediator between the owner of a purportedly powerful metal alloy known as copper iridium and the complainant. The complainant was told that the metal possessed unique properties, capable of absorbing alpha, beta, and gamma rays, and was used in space exploration. It was even said to have the ability to attract rice grains towards it. Hamid told the complainant that if he invested Rs 10 lakh to bribe RBI officials and cover the required tax amount, the Rs 300 crore allegedly deposited in Kumar’s account could be released, and the complainant would receive his share of Rs 200 crore.

Doubtful of the legitimacy of this proposition, the complainant raised concerns and urged Hamid to involve the police. The police instructed the complainant to call Shetty to Milan Hotel in Malad with documents related to the metal. The complainant was tasked with meeting Shetty and collecting the documents. Shetty provided a confidentiality agreement regarding the metal, purportedly between Kumar and the seller James D Taiclet. Shetty then expressed his intention for the money to be invested and suggested a meeting with Harish Kumar and Shaikh Khalil Ansari. Shetty also disclosed that they were staying in room number 401 of Y Planet Hotel in Andheri.

Acting on this information, Crime Branch officers raided the hotel room, resulting in the arrest of Ansari and Kumar. During the search, the police discovered documents related to five more investors who had been conned by the gang using the same modus operandi. “We are currently investigating whether these three individuals, hailing from Telangana, Mumbai, and Delhi, had other accomplices and how many people have been defrauded by them. All the documents seized have been examined by the relevant authorities and they have been confirmed as fake,” said a police officer.

Incidentally, Kumar was also previously associated with a gang that defrauded people across the country using the rice-pulling scam. But this time, he had formed his own gang to carry on his fraudulent activities. According to a police officer, the suspects have been charged and arrested on various counts of cheating and forgery. They were produced before the court and remanded to police custody till November 8.

Rs 200 cr
Amount complainant was told he would receive

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