In two incidents of fraud, actor Sachin Pilgaonkar and choreographer Phulwa Khamkar were cheated of lakhs after the accused promised to get them BMW cars at a discount

Days after film and TV actor Sachin Pilgaonkar filed a complaint against a woman who duped him of R35 lakh in promise of a BMW car, another Marathi film personality – choreographer Phulwa Khamkar also filed a similar complaint against the woman yesterday.

Sachin Pilgaonkar was duped of Rs 35 lakh. After he introduced Phulwa Khamkar to the accused, she was also cheated of Rs 10 lakh

The Crime Branch is now on the hunt for one Anagha Borikar (28), who posed as a BMW dealer and targeted Pilgaonkar and Khamkar. Both incidents took place in July, when Pilgaonkar first met the accused, Borikar. She told him she was a car dealer and could get him a hefty discount on a BMW.

After Pilgaonkar handed her the initial booking cheque of Rs 3 lakh, she approached the BMW officials and said she wanted the car for Pilgaonkar’s birthday. She told the officials that Pilgaonkar would soon complete the full payment, otherwise they could take the car back.

She delivered the car to Pilgaonkar’s house and he paid her a total of Rs 35 lakh. Borikar fled with the money, and it was only when the BMW officials came to take the car away that Pilgaonkar realised he had been cheated. Khamkar was also present at Pilgaonkar’s birthday bash and had seen the car and asked him where he had got it from.

He put her in touch with the accused. An officer from the Property Cell said, “After seeing the car, Khamkar asked the actor where he had bought it from. Pilgaonkar then told her about the discounts he had received while buying the car from Borikar. Later, Khamkar got in touch with Borikar to make a deal (about buying a car),” added the officer.

Khamkar gave the accused a cheque for Rs 10 lakh for a BMW, but was also cheated. After Pilgaonkar registered a case against Borikar, she filed for anticipatory bail, but the plea was rejected by a sessions court on Thursday. After this, Khamkar also filed a complaint against the woman at Kalachowkie police station on the same day.

"Even Khamkar had ordered a BMW car via Borikar and she was duped of Rs 10 lakh. For now, we have made her a prime witness in the case against Borikar," said an officer, adding that they are currently on the hunt for the accused.