Vasai, July 17, 2026: In a shocking incident reminiscent of the Bollywood movie Special 26, a group of fraudsters posing as Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officials allegedly extorted Rs 6 lakh from a local sweet shop owner. The Manikpur police have registered a case of fraud and extortion against four individuals in connection with the crime.
The identified accused have been named as Vijay Jadhav, Swati Tulsakar and Tejas Rathod, along with an unnamed accomplice. All the accused are currently absconding, and a police hunt is underway to apprehend them.
Fake FDA Raid
According to police sources, the incident took place on June 23, when the accused entered the complainant's sweet shop.
The fraudsters introduced themselves as FDA officials working under the department led by senior bureaucrat Tukaram Mundhe. They began inspecting items in the shop, claimed the food products were adulterated, and threatened to seal the establishment.
To "settle" the matter and avoid legal action, the accused demanded Rs 6 lakh from the panicked shopkeeper.
The shopkeeper handed over the money but later grew suspicious of their behaviour and approached the Manikpur police to lodge a formal complaint.
Police Probe Expands
A shocking revelation during the preliminary investigation showed that this wasn't the group's first strike. Two of the accused, Vijay Jadhav and Swati Tulsakar, already have a prior case registered against them in Borivali for defrauding a hotelier using the exact same fake FDA official routine. Police suspect that the accused might be operating a larger, organised racket.
The incident comes at a time when the actual FDA has intensified its crackdown on food adulteration, conducting massive raids across the state on milk, paneer, edible oil and other food items. Taking advantage of the fear surrounding these genuine administrative crackdowns, fraudsters are increasingly targeting vulnerable local businesses.
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Search For Suspects Continues
Manikpur police have registered a case under the relevant sections of the law for cheating and extortion. While the four suspects remain at large, the police are also investigating whether more individuals are involved in this syndicate.
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