The complaint, registered at the Ahwa police station on October 29, identifies the accused as Nitin Bharti, a resident of Vyara in the Tapi district. According to Inspector K B Sankhla, Bharti is currently absconding, and local authorities have launched an active search operation to apprehend him.
Details of the alleged investment fraud
According to the FIR, the incident began earlier in 2024 when Gayakwad was introduced to Bharti through a mutual acquaintance, Jitubhai, the sarpanch of Gadhvi gram panchayat. During their initial interactions, Bharti allegedly claimed to run a substantial sand business, transporting construction materials to Mumbai, and asserted that he had personally invested between Rs 3 crore and Rs 4 crore into the venture.
The accused reportedly enticed the athlete by promising a monthly return of 4 percent on her capital, with a commitment to refund the full principal amount after one year. Trusting these assurances, Gayakwad invested a total of Rs 69,10,059 into the scheme. However, the promised monthly payments never materialized, and the principal amount was not returned at the conclusion of the agreed-upon period.
Police investigation and current status
The athlete’s complaint details a pattern of evasion by the accused. When confronted about the missing payments, Bharti allegedly provided repeated verbal assurances. In one instance, he sent a photograph of a cheque for Rs 30 lakh via WhatsApp, claiming it was part of the repayment process, but he never physically delivered the document. Gayakwad reported that she has been unable to reach him by phone for the past two months.
Following the filing of the complaint, the Ahwa police have registered a case against Bharti under Sections 316(5) and 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which cover charges of criminal breach of trust and aggravated cheating. Authorities continue to pursue the suspect as the investigation into the financial dispute remains ongoing.
