By Gauresh Sattarkar
In a major crackdown, the Curchorem Police have arrested Tanvi Vast , resident of Curchorem and Anand Jadhav, the branch manager of the Central Bank of India’s Curchorem branch, for allegedly defrauding elderly account holders.
The duo is accused of orchestrating fraudulent transfers and misappropriation of cash amounting to lakhs, with suspicions that the total scam could reach crores.The arrests followed multiple complaints of unauthorized transactions and theft, prompting the JMFC court in Quepem to remand the suspects to two days of police custody for further investigation.
The fraudulent activities reportedly targeted elderly account holders, with complaints surfacing about unauthorized transfers and cash misappropriation. The police believe the arrested duo acted with deliberate intent to cheat multiple victims over an extended period.
In an administrative response to the case, SP Sunita Sawant has transferred Inspector Vaibhav Naik of the Curchorem Police Station to the South Goa Reserve Police Division pending further review of his conduct.
The transfer order cites negligence in handling the case, which has drawn public and departmental scrutiny.
The investigation is ongoing, with authorities examining the extent of the fraud and seeking additional evidence to uncover the full scale of the accused’s activities.
In the first case ,
According to police, on July 2, 2024, Tanvi contacted three individuals—Rosalina Correa, Anthony Dias, and Wodlemol Cacora —and encouraged them to deposit gold ornaments at the bank’s Curchorem branch.
Acting on her suggestion, Dias brought a collection of valuable gold items to the bank, including a necklace, two gold chains, five bangles, two rings, and a pair of earrings, valued at approximately Rs. 25 lakh. However, instead of securing the genuine ornaments, Tanvi allegedly replaced them with fake replicas. The fraud came to light on September 18, 2024, when discrepancies were discovered during a review of the deposited items.
In the second case,
a complaint was filed by Smt. Cristalina Coutinho, a resident of Sasnamoddi, Curchorem, alleging that on May 27, 2024, a sum of Rs. 14,28,000 was transferred from three of her family’s bank accounts (Account Numbers 3315300428, 3281984569, and 3369040920) to another account (03546679556) at the Central Bank of India, Curchorem Branch.
In the third complaint,
Mrs. Severina Fernandes, a 53-year-old resident of Chirknali, Cacora, Curchorem, reported that on July 31, 2023, she was fraudulently induced to transfer Rs. 1,40,000 from her account (No. 2018544652) at the Central Bank of India, Cacoda Branch.
The accused in this case are Tanvi Vast, also named in the first complaint, and the Branch Manager of the Cacora branch. Additionally, Tanvi Vast allegedly took Rs. 2,64,000 in cash from Mrs. Fernandes. As a result, the total amount defrauded from the complainant was Rs. 4,04,000. A case has been registered under similar charges of criminal breach of trust and cheating. PSI Pramod P. Tari is investigating the case.
The fourth Complaint
is filed by Pascolo vaz reported that Tanvi approached him with an offer to invest Rs. 1.5 lakh in a fixed deposit scheme purportedly designed for senior citizens. According to Vaz, he trusted Tanvi’s proposal and handed over the amount, expecting a secure investment. However, it was later discovered that the investment certificate provided by Tanvi was bogus, and no legitimate fixed deposit had been created in his name.
The police are investigating the latest complaint as part of their broader probe into Tanvi’s activities, which have left multiple victims defrauded of substantial sums of money. Authorities have reiterated their appeal for other potential victims to come forward and file complaints.
Modus Operandi
According to sources, Tanvi targeted individuals with substantial balances in their accounts. Posing as a helpful bank representative, she would visit their homes under the pretext of assisting them in opening Fixed Deposit (FD) accounts or making other bank investments. By gaining their trust, she persuaded these account holders to grant her access to their financial details.
When these customers later visited the bank to withdraw their funds, Tanvi reportedly avoided them, ensuring they couldn't confront her directly. Using their mobile phones—likely obtained during her interactions with them—she allegedly transferred their money into her own account or accounts she controlled.
In an apparent attempt to cover her tracks as suspicions began to grow, Tanvi is said to have issued cheques to some of her victims, though these actions did not resolve the fraudulent activities.
The case has raised concerns about the security of financial transactions and the exploitation of elderly individuals by those entrusted with managing their accounts. Police are continuing their investigation to uncover the full scope of Tanvi’s operations and identify any additional victims.
Who is Tanvi Vast ?
According to sources, Tanvi had a history of financial misconduct during her earlier tenure at the bank. Allegedly, she embezzled Rs. 9 lakh a few years ago, leading to her demotion from service.
Despite her past, Tanvi was re-employed at the Central Bank of India through a private agency, Vision India Services. This reappointment reportedly occurred under the RBI's policy aimed at offering free banking services to senior citizens. While the policy intended to enhance convenience for elderly account holders, it inadvertently allowed Tanvi to regain access to banking operations.
Investigators believe that since her reinstatement, Tanvi has defrauded several individuals, primarily senior citizens, of large sums of money. Using deceptive tactics, she allegedly convinced victims to invest in fixed deposits and later misused their account details to transfer funds for personal gain.
In light of these revelations, the police have urged the public, particularly senior citizens who may have interacted with Tanvi, to come forward and file complaints. Authorities are working to determine the full extent of the fraud, which is feared to involve multiple victims and substantial amounts of money.
Both investigations are ongoing as the police seek to gather further evidence and identify those responsible for these alleged frauds.