A complaint filed with Ulwe police alleges that 44 people were defrauded of Rs 80.75 lakh while seeking memberships at the Ramsheth Thakur International Sports Complex in Sector 16A, Ulwe. The complaint was submitted by the complex’s board of directors against Khalid Abdul Gani Sheikh, owner of Alpha Media, and employee Rupesh Pagare.
According to the complaint, the alleged irregularities took place over nearly six years through agencies involved in the complex’s sales and marketing operations. The complaint names Business Enhance Comnet Media Ltd, which was appointed in 2013 to market different membership plans. Sheikh was identified as the company’s sales and marketing manager and Pagare as an assistant manager. Both allegedly worked as agents for the complex and received commissions for securing memberships.
The Ramsheth Thakur International Sports Complex is spread across approximately 17 acres in Sector 16A, Ulwe. The complex is associated with the family of Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Prashant Thakur. Former MP Ramsheth Thakur is identified as its founder, while his son Paresh Thakur is on the board of directors and is also a Panvel Municipal Corporation corporator, according to the report.
The complaint states that Business Enhance Comnet Media Ltd stopped operating in September 2024. Sheikh subsequently proposed continuing the membership sales and marketing work through Alpha Media on a commission basis. The complex allegedly instructed that membership payments be deposited into its bank account.
The management later found discrepancies in offer letters shown by some members. The documents allegedly included conditions, including waivers of activity fees, that had not received prior approval from the complex. The complaint also alleges that prospective members were given false assurances relating to membership transfers in connection with commission payments. The management directed Alpha Media to stop its work on July 21.
Further scrutiny reportedly found that some payments had been made directly to individuals rather than to the complex’s account. In one case, Rahul Parikh paid Rs 2.47 lakh out of a stated membership amount of Rs 2.95 lakh into Pagare’s personal bank account on August 8, according to the complaint. The management also reported discrepancies in the membership payment associated with Tejas Bhagat.
In another case, Pratima Verma reportedly produced a receipt showing that she had paid Pagare Rs 2.45 lakh in cash. The complaint alleges that the receipt was not issued by the sports complex and was found to be fabricated during the management’s examination.
The complaint alleges that Sheikh and Pagare diverted a total of Rs 80.75 lakh collected from 44 members. It was filed by complex director Swapnil Thakur. The allegations have not been established in court, and the police investigation is under way.
The inquiry is being conducted at Ulwe police station under the supervision of Assistant Police Inspector Tukaram Korde. Prashant Thakur said the alleged irregularities had caused concern among the complex’s members and that the identities of all affected people should be established. He also said he would pursue action against those responsible, according to the report.
