6 More Names Crop Up As Thane's Multi-Million Dollar 'Call Centre Scam' Probe Widens
The probe into the multi-million dollar call centre scam has revealed six new names.
The probe into the multi-million dollar call centre scam has revealed six new names.
The Thane Crime Branch, who are in Ahmedabad since last week have zeroed down on Rachit Joshi, Hitesh Hingadajiya, Nirav Raichura, Nagrani brothers and a person named Kuldeep.
However, all of them are absconding. Rachit Joshi (31), is a native of Jaipur and son of a businessman based there. Rachit started a housekeeping business in Jaipur and he soon relocated to Ahmedabad.
He knew a lot of bookies in Jaipur and Ahmedabad and subsequently came to know about Sagar Thakkar.
BCCL
How Rachit Functioned
He soon realised that the call centre business can reap huge profits and he procured the capital from his father for the same, sources said. He collaborated with a few of his friends and started a call centre in Satellite July 2013.
Although the scale of operations in the call centre were small, his leads from the USA were big tickets not less than $5,000. Within months he opened 10 call centres.
He also met Hitesh Hingadajiya, Nirav Raichura and Sagar Thakkar. Rachit arranged for accent trainers from Kota and got the new recruits trained.
Reuters/Representational Image
Sagar collaborated with Rachit and started 20 new call centres. Their partnership lasted for a year till July 2014 after which Rachit started his own call centre again. However, Sagar came under pressure after the Federal Trade Commission informed the centre about illegal call centres .
Rachit took the opportunity to become the kingpin of the group and started expanding business in Mumbai, Rajkot, Jaipur and Delhi; however, his prime focus remained Mumbai and Ahmedabad.
Sagar realised that the business is slipping from his grip and he paid girls working in Rachit's call centre to spy on him.
BCCL
Sagar even tried to honey trap Rachit and take back the top position from him, claimed sources. Eventually the call centre business was split between Jagdish Kanani, Nirav, Hitesh, Rachit and Sagar. In all 200 call centres were operating in Ahmedabad alone. By August 2016, after FTC began the crackdown, Rachit closed down 20 call centres.
He invested his money in real estate in Gandhinagar, Sanand and Kutch said sources from Thane Crime Branch.
On booking big businesses, Rachit rewarded his staff handsomely.
Some were paid in four day intervals instead of one week. Those who closed the big deals were provided with escorts at Rachit's farmhouse in the city as a bonus over the weekend.