Arrested conman Sunil Lodha involved in multiple fraud cases: Borivali police

Sunil Lodha, the accused. File pic

More cases have come to the fore regarding Sunil Lodha, who was recently arrested by the Mumbai police in a high-profile financial fraud case involving Rs 4.89 crore, the police said. mid-day, on April 30, revealed how the alleged fraudster was traced after a two-year chase. In 2023, Lodha was accused of molesting a well-known Bollywood actress. According to Borivli police sources, Lodha had approached the actress at a five-star hotel under the pretext of producing a music album. Later, he visited her residence, where he allegedly molested her.

Following the actress' complaint, the Juhu police had registered an FIR in April 2023. However, he was not immediately arrested. Police said the accused had claimed he invested Rs 5.5 lakh in the music album, which he supposedly produced, and also paid Rs 1.5 lakh to a woman agent who introduced him to the actress. Although he was not arrested at the time, the money was recovered by the police. After this case, he was on the run and was recently arrested in Delhi in the Rs 4.89 crore fraud case.

"The actress had been seeking investors for a high-budget video album. While searching for investments, she was introduced to Lodha by a female agent. A meeting was arranged at a five-star hotel in Juhu, followed by a visit to her home, where the alleged incident occurred. The actress promptly called the police control room for assistance after feeling uncomfortable with Lodha's behavior," said an officer.

After the news broke in mid-day, additional victims came forward. Police revealed that in 2023, Lodha duped a chartered accountant of Rs 2.5 crore and Rs 50 lakh from a businessman based in Punjab. Both have now contacted the Borivli police. Further investigations revealed that Lodha once ran a successful family plywood business. He managed nine warehouses and employed about 15 staff, with daily earnings running into lakhs. However, he later became addicted to stock market investments and reportedly lost crores.

Desperate to recover, Lodha devised multiple business plans, including producing films and opening a dance bar. To fund these ventures, he borrowed heavily from individuals but failed to make any of the businesses work. As debts mounted and pressure from lenders escalated, he disappeared. "The accused is in police custody until May 4, and his statement is being recorded," said an officer from Borivli police station. "Two complainants have come forward, and we expect this number to rise," he added.