Convicted Murderer Poses as Prosecutor, Scams Undertrial Families in Gujarat
A Murderer Turns Imposter
Mayank Sanghani, a life-term convict for murder, made news again after he skipped parole and impersonated a government prosecutor. He exploited families of undertrial prisoners, promising to get them bail in return for money.
The Deceitful Plan
- Sanghani employed his legal knowledge and computer skills to access the Gujarat High Court’s online court board.
- He reached out to undertrial prisoners’ family members, pretending to be the public prosecutor in charge of their case.
- He proposed to “not oppose” bail for a fee, defrauding desperate families.
The Most Recent Victim
One of his targets was a 22-year-old woman from Chandlodia whose husband had been jailed for 18 months under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act. She received a call from a man claiming to be the prosecutor handling her husband’s bail plea.
- The imposter, calling himself K K Pandya, demanded Rs 20,000 via online transfer to secure the bail.
- The woman grew suspicious and confronted him at the high court, where he confessed he was not a lawyer and fled.
Arrest and Admission
Based on the woman’s complaint, police filed a case of impersonation and cheating, and apprehended Sanghani from his Jamnagar residence.
- During questioning, he admitted to targeting multiple families using similar tactics.
- Police are now verifying his claims about other victims and examining call records for more information.
A Grim History
Sanghani had previously been sentenced to life imprisonment for killing his friend for money in Jamnagar in 2016. He had absconded parole last July and had been evading authorities since.
