Jul 10, (Mid-day): Many people Kavita Desai has duped over 13 years might not even know that they have been conned, say the police

Smita alias Kavita Desai (48) seems to have pulled off her hit jobs on her victims so smoothly, that many of the people she has duped might not even know that they have been conned, say the police. More cases are surfacing now where Desai has defrauded, among other people, a merchant navy captain, promising them flats under various government quotas.

On July 8, mid-day had reported on how an FIR had been registered against Desai by the Oshiwara police, and the Mulund police had arrested her on July 4. On Wednesday, after Desai had secured bail in the case lodged against her at Mulund, the Oshiwara police arrested her.

Promising a flat in CM quota, woman cons friend of Rs 20 lakh

She is now in their custody. Cops allege that Desai has been arrested previously on several occasions, and there are more than 12 cases registered against her. Investigators suspect that many victims are still unaware that they have been duped.

Cop speak

Assistant Police Inspector Mohan Sarode from Mulund police station said, “Many people are not aware that they have been duped by Desai, as now we are approaching them and making them register a case. In Kandivli, the lady (Desai) approached a family and claimed that she would help their daughter get a job in Jet Airways.”

According to police officials, Desai has been lying low this year, as merchant navy captain Atul Indulkar had registered a case of cheating against her in February. “Since then we have been trying to trace the accused, but later on July 4 we got a tip-off that she was going to Andheri in order to meet her son who is suffering from jaundice, following which we laid a trap accordingly and arrested the accused,” said Sarode.

Duo promises MHADA flats, dupes eight senior citizens of Rs 74 lakhs

Cops believe that the accused has been duping people for more than 13 years. According to Desai’s statement to the Mulund police, she started duping people for a livelihood after she separated from her husband around 13 years back. “Her husband worked in Reliance; she has her two sons, one is working and the other is studying. In order to fund them, she has been duping people,” said Sarode.

Modus Operandi

Desai would zero in on her target at a public place, and then strike up a conversation with them. “In our case, the accused and captain Indulkar had met at Santacruz Airport a few years back, where she had approached him, claiming she was a face reader. Following which she held a conversation with him, and after gaining his confidence, she took his cell numbers,” added Sarode.

The accused kept in constant touch with the victim, and told the captain that she was getting a flat due to her VIP contacts and she would help him get it for cheap. “The complainant was tempted as he was getting a Rs 4 crore flat for Rs 97 lakh. He decided to buy the flat and handed cheques of Rs 4.3 lakh and Rs 25 lakh,” added an officer.

After depositing such amounts, Desai would clear out her account, so that the money couldn’t be seized in case the law caught up with her.