Mumbai: Sanjay Sawant, a 56-year-old security guard from Currey Road, fell victim to a fraudulent scheme involving a supposed ayurvedic cure for his kidney failure. Diagnosed in 2021, Sawant had been undergoing dialysis at Jaslok Hospital, but in January 2024, he was approached by a woman on Delisle Road who convinced him to try an alternative treatment.
Sawant lives with his wife and two children—a 22-year-old son and a 19-year-old daughter. His health issues began in 2021 when his feet started swelling. Upon consulting a doctor, he was informed that his kidneys had lost the ability to filter water, resulting in kidney failure. He was advised to undergo dialysis every other day, at a cost of ₹1,100 per session.
Despite the financial strain, Sawant continued to work and manage his expenses as best as he could. In January 2024, while shopping for groceries on Delisle Road in Lower Parel, he was approached by a woman who introduced herself as Usha Nipanikar, likely in her 40s.
Noticing the catheter around Sawant’s neck, Usha engaged him in conversation and shared that her brother had suffered from similar kidney-related ailments. She claimed that, frustrated by the frequent hospital visits for dialysis, her brother had sought treatment at Siddhivinayak Ayurvedic Clinic in Dadar, where he soon recovered. Before parting, Usha took Sawant’s mobile number.
A few days later, Usha called Sawant and asked if he was interested in trying the ayurvedic treatment. Hoping for a cure, Sawant agreed. Usha instructed him to prepare 2 liters of coconut oil by boiling it before visiting the clinic.
Sawant and his family visited the clinic, located at Ekdant CHS, Agar Bazar, near Raheja Tower in Dadar West. Inside, they were met by a man who introduced himself as Dr. Avinash Jadhav. He claimed to have successfully treated over 50 patients using ayurvedic methods. Jadhav informed Sawant that the treatment would cost ₹1.60 lakhs. Sawant initially paid ₹25,000 in cash, but when he requested a receipt, Jadhav refused, citing reasons related to GST and income tax, according to Sawant’s statement to the police.
Desperate for a cure, Sawant sold all of his wife’s gold jewelry, drained his savings, and borrowed money from friends and relatives to pay Jadhav an additional ₹1.15 lakhs. In return, Jadhav added a concoction of “Heera, Suvarna, and Moti Bhasma” to the coconut oil and instructed Sawant to apply it all over his body twice a day, assuring him that his kidneys would be cured “in no time.”
After diligently following the treatment for three months without any improvement, Sawant returned to the clinic for a follow-up. To his shock, the clinic was no longer there, and both Usha and Jadhav were unreachable by phone. It was then that Sawant realized he had been duped.
The Dadar police have registered an FIR and launched a special investigation to apprehend the suspects, who fled immediately after receiving the payment.
