Choreographer Accused of Defrauding Woman of Rs 20 Lakh Arrested at Mumbai Airport

Mumbai: A choreographer, Jai Kumar Nair, was arrested at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport while attempting to flee to Dubai. He was accused of defrauding a woman of Rs 20 lakh.

The police official said Nair was detained on Tuesday night after allegedly cheating the complainant by promising high returns on cryptocurrency investments.

The Oshiwara police had registered a case against Nair on the complaint of one Dipti Asija, who deals in imitation jewellery.

The woman said she came in contact with Nair through a common friend. In November 2022, she gave him Rs 6 lakh and then Rs 14 lakh in two tranches. Nair had allegedly assured her of good returns on the investment, he said.

Nair, the finalist in the first season of the reality show ‘Dance India Dance’, gave monthly returns to Asija only for the initial 11 months. From December 2023, he allegedly stopped paying any money to her.

In January 2024, he gave Rs 10,000 to her twice and after she approached the police, he gave another Rs 10,000, as per the complaint.

While the police had booked Nair for cheating, he had not been arrested. However, police had issued a Look Out Circular (LOC) against him.

As Nair entered the Mumbai airport on Tuesday and approached immigration staff for his journey to Dubai, he was stopped, the official said.

After being alerted, the Oshiwara police took Nair into custody and produced him in court. Further investigation is underway, the official added.

(with agency inputs)