Chimbel pigmy fund collector turns swindler

Chimbel pigmy fund collector turns swindler
Unsuspecting People Lose Lakhs Of Hard-Earned Money
Preetu Nair | TNN

Chimbel: Fatima Rehmanava lived with a hole in her heart for 12 years, but the hole in her purse has killed her spirits and left her virtually helpless.
Fatima never got treated because she didn’t have enough money for an operation. When her condition deteriorated, the family decided, in October 2007, to save money which could be used in case of an emergency. “I had invested about Rs 33,000, with the hope of using it on a rainy day. But my money is lost,” said Fatima.
Her sister, Saira Banu Badegar had also invested the money she got by way of an insurance claim after her 18-year-old son died in an accident, in the hope that this money would help her distraught family.
The sisters are amongst the hundreds who have been allegedly duped by one Menakshi Chudu Shirodkar, who pretended to be a pigmy fund collector for the Chimbel branch of the Mardol based VPK Urban Co-op Credit Society. The matter gained momentum when the VPK Urban Co-op Credit Society manager, Vaman Gaude lodged a complaint with the police on Tuesday against the lady, who allegedly pretended to be a pigmy collector for the bank and vanished with several people’s savings.
“The bank manager in his complaint said that Shirodkar had stolen their recurring deposit passbooks and VPK super deposit scheme passbooks, worth Rs 22 lakh and over between December 1, 2007 and April 20, 2008. “Using this, she cheated the people,” said investigating officer Old Goa PI, Gurudas Gaude. The police have registered an case of theft and cheating against Shirodkar.
However, the lady has gone underground upon realising that the Old Goa police has been on her trail. “She has gone underground and is evading arrest,” added PI Gaude.
Investigations reveal that the modus operandi of the woman was simple. She befriended people, promised them good interest rates and also sold them the idea of a bank coming home rather than they visiting a bank for transaction purposes. The poor had no reason to doubt her as they were even given a passbook in which daily entries were made.
“She gave attractive schemes. We were told that if one put Rs 10,000 in a fixed deposit and renewed it every three months, then you’d get Rs 3000 as a bonus. In other words, if one invested Rs 10,000 on January 1, 2008 and continued to renew it every 3 months, then by December 2008, one would have Rs 22,000. So your amount would more than double within a year,” explained Richard, who has been duped of more than Rs 2 lakh.
Ask Rehana Momim. A mother of 4 daughters, she was investing Rs 20 everyday in the pigmy fund to ensure a decent wedding for her children but was cheated as well.
“We were trying to save money for our children when she (Shirodkar) offered to come daily to collect money, we jumped at the idea,” said Bibijan Lalmiya, who has been cheated of nearly Rs 1,12,204.

2008 May 17 Times Of India Goa