Pune: Katraj Man Duped of Rs 38 Lakh in ‘Marriage-and-Showroom’ Scam; Obscene Video Used for Extortion

Katraj, 15th November 2025: A 31-year-old man from Katraj was allegedly cheated of nearly ₹38 lakh by a family known to him, who falsely promised marriage and persuaded him to invest in a partnership showroom. The accused later threatened to leak an obscene video and extorted additional money from him.

The victim, Rishikesh Dattatray Thorat (31) of Gokulnagar, Katraj, filed a complaint at Bharati Vidyapeeth Police Station. Police have registered a case against Kailas Ramchandra Mane of Bavdhan, his wife, and their two daughters.

WhatsApp Status Leads to Marriage Pitch
According to police, the incident began in April 2024 after Rishikesh bought a Creta car. His mother shared the photos on her WhatsApp status, following which their relative, Kailas Mane, contacted the family and proposed a marriage match with his daughter.

When the Thorat family expressed interest, Mane allegedly told them, “I have no son. Let’s open a showroom together in partnership,” and began demanding money under various pretexts.

Over time, he allegedly collected ₹37.65 lakh from the victim for showroom deposit, documentation, staff salaries, and other related expenses. Rishikesh later learnt that no showroom had been registered, no vehicles were purchased, and no business activity existed.

Cash Theft While Victim Was Abroad
On 2 August 2025, while Rishikesh was in Thailand, Mane allegedly used a duplicate key to enter his house and stole ₹50,000 in cash from a cupboard.

Obscene Video Threat Used for Extortion
Police said one of Mane’s daughters later video-called the complainant and claimed they had his obscene video. She allegedly threatened to make it viral if he did not pay. Fearing defamation, the victim transferred ₹72,000 via GPay.

The accused family also attempted to mislead investigators by falsely alleging that, despite the marriage match being fixed, they had found Rishikesh with another woman.

Assistant Police Inspector Thorat is investigating the case.