Marathi Businessman from Pune Murdered in Bihar After Alleged Rs 100 Crore Cyber Fraud Trap
Reported by Mubarak Ansari
Pune/Patna, 15th April 2025: In a shocking case of cyber-led business entrapment, Laxman Shinde, a respected Marathi entrepreneur from Pune and an alumnus of the prestigious College of Engineering Pune (COEP), was found murdered in Bihar after being lured under the pretext of a high-value business deal.
Shinde, founder of Ratnadeep Castings and an expert in manufacturing critical casting components, was approached via email with a seemingly legitimate business inquiry. The proposal involved a ₹100 crore order related to mining equipment for operations in Jharkhand. He was invited to Patna for further discussions.
According to DCP (Zone 3) Sambhaji Kadam, Shinde reached Patna on April 11, 2025, and met with the individuals behind the business proposal. However, he became unreachable after 10:00 PM the same night. Suspiciously, all messages and data from his mobile phone were found deleted.
Worried about his sudden disappearance, Shinde’s family lodged a missing person complaint at Kothrud Police Station in Pune. Despite initial uncertainty, his body was discovered on April 14 in Jehanabad district, Bihar. Authorities believe he was murdered on April 12.
In a swift joint operation, Bihar Police and Pune Police identified and arrested 11 suspects allegedly involved in the crime. Investigations suggest that the murder was premeditated and linked to an elaborate cyber fraud scheme posing as a business opportunity.
