AHMEDABAD: An 82-year-old woman, who was banking on her postal deposits to sustain independently in old age, felt crestfallen when she got to know that the money she and her husband had saved over the years, Rs 19.5 lakh, was gone as the postal agent she trusted cheated her of the money. She has filed a complaint for cheating and breach of trust with Vadaj police.
According to investigators, Prerna Dholakia, a resident of Bhagwatinagar Duplex, Naranpura, was part of a
Mahila Mandal when her family was living on rent three decades ago near
Usmanpura. At that time, she and her husband had come in contact with
Pravin Shah and his wife Sheela during a meeting. The couple encouraged the Dholakias to opt for postal savings. The couple over the years kept aside sum and regularly invested in different schemes. Dholakia’s husband died in November 2004.
“In 2012, Pravin Shah suggested her that all the money that they have in different schemes should be consolidated for better returns. She agreed to the proposal. Shah counted the money which turned out to be Rs 19.5 lakh. He then suggested her that she invest in a scheme with lock-in period of six years and 12% interest rate. She would get Rs 33.5 lakh at maturity. She agreed to it and gave him a go-ahead for the investment,” said a Vadaj police official.
Shah passed away in September 2016. In March 2018, Dholakia’s daughter went to GPO to get the money when they got a shock that the money she claimed was never deposited with the postal department. The family then confronted
Sheela Shah who confessed that her husband had not deposited the sum but had given it to someone. She had promised that she would return it soon. When no action was taken from her side for three months, the family decided to press charges.
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