Teacher Couple From Panchmahal Vanishes After Char Dham Trip, Suspected Of Orchestrating ₹10 Crore Scam
Panchmahal: A teacher couple from Shehera in Panchmahal district, currently posted in Umreth, has mysteriously disappeared following a Char Dham pilgrimage in May. What initially seemed like a spiritual journey has now spiraled into a suspected large-scale financial fraud, sending shockwaves through the local teaching community.
According to multiple sources, the couple is accused of swindling more than ₹10 crore from fellow educators and villagers by borrowing large sums under false pretenses, and possibly fleeing abroad, likely to Canada, where their son resides.
Despite having valid passports until 2027, the couple began the process of securing a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the education department as early as February–March this year. Typically, such paperwork is only required when a passport is expiring or international travel is imminent. This unusual early application has raised suspicions of careful premeditation. A senior education official confirmed that the NOC request was out of the ordinary, stating, “Why apply for an NOC two years in advance unless you had specific travel plans?”
The couple’s last known location was Haridwar on May 19, where they posted photos from their pilgrimage. Shortly after, their mobile phones were switched off and all communication ceased. It now appears the religious trip may have served as a smokescreen for their escape. What began as concern for their safety has now morphed into suspicion of an intentional vanishing act.
Multiple individuals have stepped forward with stories of financial betrayal. One fellow teacher revealed that the couple borrowed ₹12 lakh, promising to return the money within 15 days for the purchase of a new home.
A retired teacher, now living abroad, shared a more devastating account. During her service years, she developed a close friendship with the couple, who frequently visited her home. Trusting their intentions, she gave them ₹21 lakh after they claimed it was needed to send their son to Canada and buy property. They promised quick repayment, even citing plans to sell a high-value plot in Anand. But repayment never came.
With multiple victims, unreturned loans, and sudden silence after the trip, investigators are now working to determine whether the couple has genuinely gone missing, or deliberately fled to escape financial obligations.
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