Rajkot: At least 2,000 people across the state have been duped by operators of three fake call centres that allegedly sold medicines marketed to enhance sexual stamina and then resorted to extortion by threatening to expose customers’ personal information to their relatives and acquaintances.Bhayavadar police in Rajkot Rural busted the three call centres, which operated under the guise of selling Ayurvedic products to enhance sexual stamina and address vitamin B12 deficiency. The centres were allegedly run by separate groups.Police arrested 10 people and seized computers, laptops, mobile phones and other equipment worth Rs 5.16 lakh in raids at the three premises, said Rajkot Rural superintendent of police Vijaysinh Gurjar.The raids were conducted at an office operated by Khodidas Makadiya in Umiya Nagar, an office run by Ahmedrza Multani on Cinema Road and the residence of Hardik Khambhala.“We have found no links between the three call centres. Preliminary investigation suggests that they sold these medicines to more than 2,000 customers and had been operating the racket for the past three months,” said Simran Bhardwaj, assistant superintendent of police (ASP), Dhoraji.The 10 arrested were identified as Khodidas Makadiya, Kaushik Vala, Meet Bedva, Chetan Rathod, Ahmedrza Multani, Rajesh Parmar, Manvir Khambhala, Ahmedrza alias Bapu Kadri, Nasir Lakha and Jeel Khaniya.Police are searching for five other accused — Hardik Khambhala, Jaydeep Gohil, Rahul, Faizal Razakbhai and Nishant alias Neil Bhatt — who were not found at the premises during the raids.Police are investigating how long the alleged operations had been running, how many people were targeted and the extent of the suspected financial fraud.Website used to lure customersPolice said Khodidas Makadiya, Kaushik Vala, Meet Bedva and Chetan Rathod allegedly used a website to promote the products, posing as medical professionals to gain customers’ trust. They sent pornographic material to prospective buyers to persuade them to place orders. After obtaining customers’ personal information and payments, the accused allegedly failed to deliver the products and threatened to inform their family members about their online activities. They also allegedly warned customers that complaints could be filed against them, potentially leading to life imprisonment.The website, bedroomboss.in, reportedly offered discounts of around 50% and featured photographs and testimonials purportedly from customers in Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Delhi, Mumbai and other cities.WhatsApp threats for cancelling ordersAhmedrza Multani, Rajesh Parmar, Manvir Khambhala, Ahmedrza alias Bapu Kadri, Nasir Lakha and Jeel Khaniya operated from an office on Cinema Road, selling Ayurvedic products to enhance sexual stamina while posing as doctors. They threatened customers over WhatsApp if they attempted to cancel confirmed orders, allegedly using intimidation to extract money from them.Fake doctor identities used to sell productsHardik Khambhala, Jaydeep Gohil, Rahul, Faizal Razakbhai and Nishant alias Neil Bhatt allegedly operated from Khambhala’s residence and promoted similar Ayurvedic products. Police said the accused posed as doctors and used false identities to deceive customers. Khambhala and the four other accused were not found during the raids and remain absconding.Fake credentials used to gain trustPolice sources said the website associated with Makadiya’s group displayed the logos of Union Ayush ministry, National Health Authority and the Centre’s Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) to create an impression of legitimacy. AI-generated newspaper clippings and logos of private organisations were also allegedly used to make the operation appear genuine. The website featured purported customer testimonials and claims of successful use of the products to attract buyers.
