Mumbai Police Bust 16.24 Cr Celebrity Scam Targeting Javed Jaffrey Kin

Bollywood’s underbelly revealed: Javed Jaffrey’s wife Habibah and family members have been defrauded of a staggering 16.24 crore in a sophisticated property scam. Mumbai Police’s Property Cell arrested Nishit Patel, while BMC’s Mahesh Patil heads the list of six accused in this celebrity-targeted fraud.

Posing as elite real estate insiders, the crooks ensnared victims with promises of a Bandra West commercial goldmine—New Kamalkunj. They claimed massive prior funding and locked-in international tenants, dazzling with props during repeated family visits.

All began with a April 2024 BMC notice on the Jaffreys’ Andheri bungalow tax. Acquaintance Ali Raza facilitated a meeting with Patil, who smoothed the tax path before unveiling the investment bait. Patel’s pitch: 150 crore already in, possession by late 2025.

Trust built, the family sold properties and funneled funds into entities like Poojan Technologies and others. The fraud’s ingenuity shone in a doorstep ‘registry’ farce—fake machines captured biometrics, yielding bogus papers. Demands for originals were stonewalled.

Patel cracked under probe, admitting fakes. FIR at Khar station names Patil, Rupesh, Sagar Mehta, Devendra Padwal et al under grave charges. Haul: cash, currency, luxury timepieces. Javed, Habibah, Naveed, plus other stars, lost big.

Crime Branch hunts the full syndicate, suspecting wider artist duping. Patel’s custody extended to May 19 by court. In Tinseltown’s high-stakes world, this bust highlights the perils of unchecked ambition and forged credentials.