A 26-year-old Kenyan woman has fallen victim to a serious theft while travelling in India to purchase clothes for business, after two men pretending to be police officers stole a large sum of money from her in Mumbai.
How the Scam Happened
The woman, identified as Sumayya Mohammed Abdi, was in a taxi on January 21 when the incident happened in the Fort area of South Mumbai, a busy part of the city. According to Indian police, the men stopped her taxi, introduced themselves as police officers, and claimed they needed to check her belongings. 
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During the stop, they took two bags containing Rs 66.45 lakh, saying it was for “verification”. They then told her to go to the nearest police station to claim her cash-filled bag. Instead of leading her there, the men reportedly drove away on a motorcycle with her money.
Realising she had been tricked, the Kenyan woman reported the incident to the police. Indian authorities confirm that the two men were not real police officers but criminals posing as one.
After the incident was reported, Indian police began an investigation and checked security footage from more than 60 CCTV cameras in the area. This helped them identify Suresh Rangnath Chavan, a 48-year-old man, who was later arrested in his home.
Police found a large amount of cash in his possession during his arrest, an amount which was more than the money stolen from the Kenyan woman.
However, as one suspect is still on the run, police say efforts are ongoing to locate and arrest him.
The case has been registered under India’s law, including charges related to cheating and fraud.
For many Africans, this incident shows how foreigners can be targeted because they may not understand how the local police or authorities work.
Indian police say this case is a reminder for travellers to be careful when people claim to be officials and to ask for help immediately if something feels wrong.
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