In a disturbing case of elder abuse and financial fraud, an 82-year-old retired IIT professor has allegedly been swindled out of his assets, worth approximately Rs 7 crore, by his caretaker, who then placed him in an old age home without informing his family. The Mumbai Police have registered a case against the caretaker, Nikita Naik, following a complaint filed by the professor's son.
The victim, Manmohan Agarwal, a retired professor from the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay, had been residing alone in his flat located in Glen Heights Apartment in Hirandani Garden, Powai, since 2009 after his wife and son moved to Pimpri-Chinchwad near Pune. In 2017, he became acquainted with Nikita Naik in a garden where he regularly practiced yoga. Naik gradually gained his trust and began assisting him with daily chores, eventually becoming his caretaker.
As Agarwal's eyesight deteriorated over the years, he started facing difficulties in managing his mobile phone and banking transactions. Naik allegedly took advantage of his vulnerability, obtaining his banking details and ATM cards, and began making financial transactions on his behalf.
The situation escalated in February 2025 when Naik had Agarwal admitted to an old age home in Vikhroli without informing his son or any other family members. In April, she took him to the registration office under the guise of providing legal assistance and tricked him into signing documents, transferring ownership of his properties, including three or four flats, to her name. She also allegedly stole jewelry worth Rs 2 crore from his bank locker and withdrew Rs 1.3 crore from his bank account over the past three years.
The fraud came to light when Agarwal's son, who resides in Pimpri near Pune, visited Mumbai in June to meet his father but discovered he was missing. Upon learning that Naik had placed his father in an old age home, he immediately went to the facility and met with him. After hearing the sequence of events, the son took his father back to his Powai flat and approached the police.
Based on Agarwal's complaint, the Powai police registered a case of cheating and fraud against Nikita Naik under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) on June 8. The police have detained Naik and are currently interrogating her for further details. The investigation is ongoing to determine the full extent of the fraud and recover the stolen assets.
The incident has raised serious concerns about the safety and well-being of elderly individuals who rely on caretakers for assistance. It highlights the need for greater vigilance and stricter regulations to protect vulnerable seniors from financial exploitation and abuse. The police are urging family members to stay connected with their elderly relatives and monitor their financial affairs to prevent such incidents from occurring.
