Pune: A 21-year-old woman from Pune, who had previously participated in prestigious beauty pageants such as Miss India and Miss Universe, fell victim to a ₹10 lakh fraud orchestrated by three individuals who falsely claimed her selection for the "Miss Intercontinental 2024" competition.
The accused, identified as Malik Isani from Gujarat, Govind Kumar Agarwal, and Gaurav Jaitley from Haryana, allegedly carried out the fraud between October 1 and November 20, 2024. A complaint has been registered at the Sahakarnagar police station, and the investigation is being led by Sub-inspector Kalpana Kale.
The Fraudulent Scheme
According to the police, the complainant was introduced to Malik Isani through a friend. Malik claimed that her profile had been selected for the "Miss Intercontinental 2024" competition. He sent her an online application link, which she completed.
The complainant then met Malik in Jaipur, where he informed her that the international event would be held in Egypt. He stated that she needed to cover the costs of airfare, event attire, and accommodation upfront, amounting to ₹10 lakh. Trusting him, the complainant transferred the requested amount.
Fake Tickets and Realization of Fraud
After receiving the money, Malik and his associates postponed the India-level competition dates several times. They eventually provided her with tickets for the Egypt-based competition, scheduled between November 21 and December 6, 2024. However, when the complainant contacted the original organizers of the competition in the USA to verify the tickets, they confirmed that the tickets were fake.
Realizing the fraud, the complainant demanded a refund from Malik and his associates, but they refused to return the money. This prompted her to lodge a formal complaint with the police. The investigation is ongoing, and police are taking measures to track down the accused.