Commission agent, has been arrested in connection with the Rs 1.01 crore Apple iPhone 16 procurement fraud, the store manager, was denied bail

MUMBAI: In a significant development in the alleged Rs 1.01 crore Apple iPhone 16 procurement fraud, Sanjay Pradhan, a commission agent from a mobile store, was arrested, and Ibrahim Ansari, the store manager of the Powai outlet, was denied bail. The MRA Marg police arrested Sanjay Pradhan (61) on Friday, who had been evading arrest since the police filed an FIR last month, even after the Sessions Court rejected his anticipatory bail.According to the complaint, Merchant was approached in mid-2024 by Shahabaj Ali Shaikh with an offer to procure Apple iPhone 16 units at Rs 68,000 each from a source within ‘MAPLE’, a reputed Apple retailer. Enticed by the pricing, Merchant agreed to purchase 150 units. Merchant, Director of Advanced Trends India Private Limited, states that Maple stores allegedly requested an advance payment of Rs 1.01 crore for a bulk order of iPhones via a Pro Forma Invoice issued on Maple letterhead and signed under Ansari’s authority. The amount was transferred to the store’s bank account. However, the goods were allegedly never delivered to the complainant.Investigations indicate that iPhone units worth Rs 91 lakh were diverted to third parties, including Alka Enterprises, without fulfilling the order. Another suspect, Deven Lalji Devda, an associate of Sanjay Pradhan, is already in custody. Sanjay Pradhan, acting as the commission agent for Maple/iPlanet, allegedly coordinated with Ibrahim Ansari to divert the goods under false pretences. Pradhan was arrested after absconding following the denial of his anticipatory bail.On the same day, Ibrahim Ansari’s bail was rejected by the Magistrate’s Court. His bail was opposed on grounds of active concealment, criminal breach of trust, and deliberate misrepresentation, supported by documentary evidence pointing to internal collusion and misuse of company systems. Emails and transaction records show that despite multiple written follow-ups, the complainant allegedly received no response, while CPL proceeded to divert goods to unrelated parties.A bank account involved has since been frozen, with nearly Rs 90 lakh still intact.