Three days after the first complaint was filed for alleged fraud at Thane-based Goodwill Jewellers, the police have issued a lookout notice against A.M. Sunilkumar, one of the owners. While the cases were filed against Sunilkumar, his brother and co-owner of Goodwin Jewellery A.M. Sudheeshkumar and manager Manish Kundi, the police reportedly said lookout notice could be issued only for Sunilkumar for lack of evidence against the other two.
“They are residents of Kerala. We know that they went to Bengaluru recently, but their trail goes cold after that,” senior officer S.P. Aaher told The Indian Express. “We are worried that they may try to flee the country, and hence, we are trying to get lookout notices issued against all of them,” he added.
The development comes even as the trio remained incommunicado for more than a week now. As of Wednesday, three cases were registered against Goodwin Jewellers at three places—Manickpur in Vasai (Palghar), Naupada in Thane and Shivaji Nagar in Ambernath—in Maharashtra. On Tuesday, the cases were taken over by Thane police's economic offences wing (EOW).
Following agitation by customers and investors, the owner brothers on Monday released a video on social media wherein they blamed people with vested interest and business rivals for their losses. The brother duo, who hail from Kerala, purportedly told affected customers that their money was "safe" and promised to return it.
According to the official version, 28 people have been cheated to the tune of Rs 2.21 crore in Ambernath, in Thane's Naupada area, a total of 69 people have been duped of Rs 1.63 crore. However, with more people coming out to register FIRs, the police anticipate the amount of fraud to climb up further.
also read
- Lok Sabha polls 2024 phase 2: Maharashtra gears up for Sena vs Sena contest in three seats | Details
- Salman Khan case: Mumbai police recovers 2 pistols, bullets from Tapi river
- Denying ticket to Varsha Gaikwad reflects Cong-Uddhav Sena’s anti-dalit stand: Milind Deora
- Who is Vaibhav Pandya: Krunal's 'stepbrother' arrested for threatening, cheating Mumbai Indians captain
The police have booked the owners and shop managers under sections 420 (cheating) and 406 (criminal breach of trust) of the Indian Penal Code and under relevant sections of Maharashtra Protection of Interest of Depositors (in Financial Establishments) Act.
The outlets of Goodwin Jewellers in Thane, Palghar and Mumbai regions have been shut since a couple of days before Diwali, leaving hundreds of people, who had invested in their gold and fixed deposit schemes, in the lurch.
