A young man from Mehsana cheated 6 lakh people all over India in the name of Swadeshi

04/11/2026

SD Pay Scam: SD Pay Scam
SD Pay Scam, Digital Wallet Fraud

Swadeshi
Har Ghar Swadeshi… Ghar Ghar Swadeshi… this was his slogan. This slogan was given by the country’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Prime Minister also promoted start-ups in the country and Dhawal Patel, a young man from Mehsana, the hometown of Amit Shah, Narendra Modi, Bhupendra Patel, Anandiben Patel, directly benefited from it.
It has started a new chapter in the education of fraud and has taken full advantage of Narendra Modi’s promotion of digital payments. He defrauded 6 to 15 lakh people of Rs 2 thousand crores.

Gujarat startup SD Pay committed a fraud of Rs 2 thousand crore in the name of digital wallet. 15 lakh people became victims of fraud of Rs 1,200 crore in the name of digital wallet. Amidst the increasing use of digital payments and online wallets, savings have evaporated in Gujarat.

Transactions worth Rs 1,200 crore have been found. Some people had invested by selling their houses and taking loans.

Narayan Kangan, who runs the SD PAY app in this racket, was caught from Aurangabad with the help of the local police of Maharashtra. During his interrogation, the names of Dhawal Patel and Nishi emerged as the real owners of the app. Vadodara Police obtained transfer warrant against both of them and took them into custody. By then Gujarat Police was watching people looting.
This gang was targeting people by offering them cashback schemes and MLM-style commission of up to 30 percent as well as referral bonuses for bringing new customers.
Kangan is suspected to be the main accused in the SD PAY app scam. After allegedly running an office in Pune and collecting crores from investors, he closed the office and moved to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, where he rented a three-room house. After completing the legal formalities, a team of Gujarat Police left for Gujarat with Kangana around 11.30 am on Wednesday. The local court had given police custody for two days.

Earlier, SD Pay worked through the app and later its name was changed to Apna Pay. It was going on in Savarkundla, Amreli and Vadodara in Gujarat.
It promised to double the money in a short time and guaranteed 9% monthly returns.

Seven fake companies, 18 shell accounts
Seven fake companies and 18 shell bank accounts, including SD Hub, Shiv Dharti Communication and Upe Digi, were found. Transactions worth about Rs 1,598 crore were detected from these accounts.

Dhawal Patel and Narendra Solanki were constantly changing places in Maharashtra. Apna Pay was started. Solanki handed over the Maharashtra operation to Kangane. Kangane was made the director on December 30, 2025 and her name was also found among the developers associated with the app.

After closing her pay office in Pune, Kangana started living in a rented house in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. After the scam came to light he switched off his mobile phone. She used it only through Wi-Fi. Kangane was arrested by a four-person team of Vadodara cyber crime from Pundaliknagar.

on my own
The ‘SD Pay’ and ‘Apna Pay’ app scam in Gujarat is one of the biggest digital cyber frauds. Its mastermind is Dhawal Govind Patel of Kheralu, Mehsana.
Such advertisements were given that make your mobile phone an income machine, do not miss this opportunity and now adopt our country’s app Apna Pay. India’s indigenous digital application Apna Pay has been adopted by more than 16 lakh users of Apna Pay, now you too can adopt Apna Pay and earn daily reward point income.
You will be able to use many digital services through a single application and earn maximum income from your mobile every day.

Har Ghar Swadeshi… Ghar Ghar Swadeshi… this was its slogan.

Dhawal Patel launched mobile digital wallet applications named ‘SD Pay’ and ‘Apna Pay’ in the year 2024. Apna Pay has 10 lakh downloads.

After initially offering services like bill payments and recharge, users were lured by offering huge cashback and high daily returns on investment.

People were made to invest in the application and Rs 2 thousand crores were seized.

Scammer Dhawal Patel was absconding for a long time and a lookout notice was also issued against him.

Amreli, Vadodara Cyber Cell and Gandhinagar Police are investigating. More than 35 bank accounts have been frozen.

Initially people got good returns and daily cashback but when the time came to withdraw the money, the app was discontinued.

Daily returns to investors

0.15% on investment from Rs 1000 to Rs 10 lakh Rs 25000

0.20 percent on investment of Rs 25 thousand to Rs 1 lakh

0.25 percent on investment of Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh

0.30% on more than Rs 5 lakh

Up to 15 layers of bonus were being given in the referral scheme.

the accused
Dhawal Patel, Mehsana

Ashish Chhagan Gedia, age 38, Trader, resident of C-202, Surgeon Palace, Bharimata Road, Singanpore Square, Katargam, Surat City. Vanot village, Ta. He is a resident of Savarkundla, District Amreli.

Bhavesh Dhiru Chauhan, age 41, Trader, resident of 506, Sanskar Villa Apartment, Nava Faliya, Katargam, Surat City. Resident of Khodiyarnagar, Nesdi Road, Behind Jayshree Talkies, Savarkundla, District Amreli.

Nishi Satyanarayan Prasad, aged 47 years, Trader, resident of 3, Dreamland Society, Radhanpur Road, Near Aerodrome, Mehsana. He is a resident of Banjariya village, Bihar.

Sohil Jitendra Makwana, age 26, private job, resident of Paras Society, Near Police Headquarters, Mehsana.

Nirav Arvind Patel – Shihora, aged 32, employed in the private sector; resident of Patelvas, Pratapnagar, Ratej, Balol, in Mehsana district.

Suryasingh Jagat Rathod-Rajput, aged 24, Director of the company ‘S.D. Hub’; resident of Khadat Mahudi village, Mansa Taluka, Gandhinagar district.

Narayan Kang, Maharashtra.

1.5 million (15 lakh) people
According to the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Amreli Police, 1.5 million (15 lakh) people downloaded the ‘SD Pay’ app. Among the 1.5 million users whose data was analyzed, the largest number—152,000—are from Gujarat. Approximately ₹1,211 crore was invested through 652,831 bank accounts. The plan was to expand the user base to a total of 1.2 million (12 lakh) people. These figures account only for banking transactions; when cash transactions are also included, the total scale of the digital scam is estimated at ₹2,000 crore. A balance of ₹1,211 crore had been accumulated, which the police have now frozen.
Many agents also collected cash from investors—records of which are not fully available to the police. Approximately 95 key agents operating this network have been identified across several states, including Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, and Chandigarh.

Only ₹1.86 crore recovered out of ₹1,200 crore
In this alleged scam, which involves over ₹1,200 crore, the police have managed to seize only ₹1.86 crore. A process is also underway to identify and attach the immovable assets of the accused.
By early October 2024, 573 victims had reported losses amounting to approximately ₹24.42 crore. By October 31, the number of victims had risen to 876, bringing the total reported losses to ₹37.42 crore.

Operational Model

The mobile app, known as ‘SD Pay’ or ‘Apna Pay’, was launched in 2024 by Dhaval Patel from Gujarat. It was designed to facilitate services such as bill payments and mobile recharges. Initially, to attract users, the app promised lucrative cashback offers and daily interest on investments.
Depending on the investment amount, a daily interest rate ranging from 0.15% to 0.30% was offered. As regular payouts were received, user trust grew. Investors began encouraging their family, friends, and acquaintances to invest in the app.

MLM
A multi-level marketing (MLM) model was employed. Users were told that they could earn additional cashback and commissions by referring the app to people they knew. Referral-based cashback was promised across various levels. A payout of up to 30% was promised for referrals at the first level, while the payout for the 10th to 15th levels was set at 3%. Many people were brought into this scheme.
Seminars, online meetings, and Zoom calls were used to recruit individuals. Some investors, who initially earned good profits, became involved in this activity full-time and began bringing in new investors. Gradually, the network grew to include people who, after investing themselves, encouraged others to invest as well.
The referral program consisted of 15 levels, rewarding existing members for bringing new investors into the network.
The model generated no genuine income; the companies involved did not manufacture any products.
Funds received from new investors were used to pay interest and returns to existing investors. One resident of Surat invested just Rs. 1,000 and earned a profit of Rs. 1 crore, having built a network of approximately 160,000 investors—a fact that illustrates the scale of the scheme.
As the flow of funds into the scheme began to decline, it became increasingly difficult to pay interest to existing investors. Consequently, instead of returning the investors’ capital, the accused began issuing company shares to them. Investors were told that an IPO would be launched and that the value of these shares would rise once the company was listed on the stock exchange.
Santosh Pathak
Santosh Pathak, an accused arrested in this case, had accumulated Rs. 16 crore in his ‘SD Pay’ account by October 30. He was also issued a receipt for the allotment of 200,000 company shares. The value of these shares was Rs. …was Rs 20 per share, and it was claimed that the price could reach Rs 100 once the company was listed on the stock exchange.

Uncovering the scam from Amreli
The Amreli police began investigating the matter in June 2026. On June 6, a 32-year-old computer operator from Savarkundla filed a complaint, alleging that he had been defrauded of Rs 2 lakh through an app. Upon learning of the complaint, the accused returned the money, leading the complainant to withdraw his complaint.
The police, however, continued their investigation. The initial investment amounts were being delivered in cash via a private courier service known as an ‘Angadia,’ while refunds were being processed through bank transfers. This raised the police’s suspicion of a large-scale financial scam.
A Yes Bank account belonging to a company named ‘Shiv Dharti Communications Private Limited’ was discovered.

Multiple crimes
Complaints against this company were filed on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal from various states…

Four complaints of online fraud were registered from various locations.
In September 2025, an FIR was also filed against this same group with the Gujarat CID (Crime). Investors had withdrawn their funds; since the perpetrators failed to make payments, no one came forward to file a complaint.
Despite this scam having been ongoing for a year and a half, the negligence of state and central agencies has resulted in the loss of funds for lakhs of people.

Arrests
The masterminds are Dhaval Govind Patel—from Mankej village in Kheralu, Mehsana—and Nishi Satyanarayan Prasad, who is originally from Bihar but resides in Mehsana. Narayan Kangne, who operated the ‘SD Pay’ application—a key component of the fraud—was also apprehended.
Dhaval Patel, an accused in the ₹2,000 crore scam, was arrested in Bengaluru; 35 bank accounts have been frozen.

The police arrested five individuals from various states. On September 12, the primary accused, Dhaval Patel and Hiren Shah, were arrested by a joint team of the Gujarat and Odisha police.
Several other suspects, including Narendra Singh Jhala from Gujarat and Mukesh Lodhi from Rajasthan, managed to flee.

Dhaval Patel, from Visnagar, was the ‘super-mastermind’ behind the betting operation. Along with him, 20 others have been arrested.
In connection with this digital investment scam, statements from 900 individuals have been recorded, and over 800 complaints have been received via the 1930 cybercrime helpline. The system employed by the accused—which involved cracking passwords—affected 6.52 lakh investors.

The Vadodara cyber scam is valued at ₹635 crore.

Betting
The Ahmedabad PCB (Prevention of Crime Branch) raided an office in Madhupura and arrested individuals involved in a ₹2,000 crore betting, *hawala* (illegal money transfer), and online gambling racket. The investigation has since been transferred to the State Monitoring Cell. Jignesh Naresh Patel was arrested while engaged in betting. The ‘Super Master ID’ used for online betting was provided by Dhaval Patel from Visnagar. Following this, the vigilance team arrested Dhaval Somabhai Patel (residing in Patel Nagar Society, Visnagar). Others in the group—Kamlesh Patel, Nikhil Patel, Bharat Patel, and Devang Thakkar—were also caught participating in online gambling. The vigilance team has secured their remand until June 13 and has initiated an investigation.

6 Companies
The police have identified 38 bank accounts belonging to six companies, as well as 72 bank accounts linked to their 16 directors.
A total of 831 complaints have been registered on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal against the bank accounts of these six companies. Additionally, 15 complaints have been filed against the personal bank accounts of the accused.

The companies involved are: S.D. Hub (OPC) Private Limited, Shiv Dharti Communication Private Limited, Shiv Dharti Technology Private Limited, U-Pay Digi Payment India Limited, U-Pay Digi India Private Limited, and Hustlenest Private Limited.
Companies Created for Fraud
– S.D. Hub (OPC) Private Limited
– Shiv Dharti Communication Private Limited
– Shiv Dharti Technology Private Limited
– U-Pay Digi Payment India Limited
– U-Pay Digi India Private Limited
– U-Payment India Limited
– Hustlenest Private Limited

Setting the Trap
– January 12, 2023: A company named “S.D. Hub” was launched in Mehsana.
– An application called “S.D. App”—a multi-utility service platform similar to GPay—was developed.
– People were lured into depositing money into the app with promises of high returns.
– The app included features such as virtual banking.
– A dedicated team was assembled, and a marketing network chain was established through the use of referral bonuses.
– The scheme was heavily promoted on social media using AI-generated videos. – They rented halls in major cities, including Surat and Jaipur, and entertained people by distributing awards.
– Initially, users received significant cashback and rewards, which led to a rapid increase in app downloads. Offices were opened in Gandhinagar, Jaipur (Rajasthan), and Madhya Pradesh.
– By late 2025, numerous complaints emerged regarding the inability to withdraw funds from the “SD App.”
– September 23, 2025: An individual from Surat filed a complaint with the CID Crime branch in Gandhinagar, but no action was taken.
– The company advised users to download the “APANA App” instead of the “SD App.”
– When users were unable to withdraw funds from the “APANA App” either, they realized they had been defrauded.
– Multiple complaints were filed, ranging from Jaipur to Amreli.
– September 4: The Amreli Superintendent of Police (SP) formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), resulting in the arrest of six individuals.
– The police uncovered “benami” (proxy/unauthorized) transactions totaling ₹645 crore across 15 bank accounts.

Teacher
A 48-year-old female teacher from Vadodara invested ₹9.5 lakh—proceeds from the sale of a 1 BHK flat—into the “SD Pay” app. Initially, she began receiving good returns on her investment. By mid-2026, her digital wallet showed a balance of ₹50 lakh. However, this amount existed only on the screen; once the app shut down, she was unable to withdraw her money.
When the interest payments ceased, she was lured with the prospect of investing in shares.
After she shared a post on social media expressing her satisfaction with her investment in “SD Pay,” people from her personal circle also joined the app. Through her, 31 individuals—including 11 family members and 20 colleagues—invested a total of ₹41 lakh.
Approximately 800 people joined the scheme through the woman’s referral network. She earned up to ₹25,000 daily through interest and referral cashback. This led her to believe that her investment was secure and that she could generate a good income via the app.
She was pressured to purchase shares worth ₹40 lakh. When she refused, she was told that if she did not buy the shares, she would not receive any of her money back.
She even contemplated suicide. There was no money left to run her household. She decided to pursue legal action and…

A complaint was filed with the police on behalf of the victims.
On September 21, the woman, accompanied by eight other victims, approached the Amreli police to lodge a complaint. As the police were transporting the accused—Dhaval Patel, Bhavesh Dhanecha, and Hiren Shah—to court, the woman ran after the police vehicle, slapped Dhaval Patel, and demanded the return of her money.

Wife of a police officer
The wife of a police officer reported losing 10 lakh rupees through the app. Subsequently, on September 2, 2026, the Amreli Cyber Crime Police registered an FIR against the promoters, directors, and other individuals associated with ‘SD Pay’.

Legal action
In addition to charges of fraud and criminal conspiracy under the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the accused have also been charged under the BUDS Act (which prohibits unregulated deposit schemes), the Gujarat Protection of Interests of Depositors Act, the Prize Chits and Money Circulation Schemes (Banning) Act, and the IT Act.

Statements from 900 individuals have been recorded. Victims—estimated to number between 6 lakh and 15 lakh—who are unable to travel to Amreli to provide their statements can instead submit their details by filling out a Google Form, available in three languages, on the police’s official webpage.

A forensic audit will be conducted.

30 crore rupees from Himmatnagar trapped
It is estimated that over 30 crore rupees from Himmatnagar remain trapped. This amount does not represent the original principal investment, but rather the ‘return on investment’ figures displayed within the users’ digital wallets.

It is alleged that some of the local agents are teachers. Properties worth lakhs of rupees have reportedly been purchased through these individuals.

At an event held in Mumbai, a man named Lodhi claimed to be a cyber expert from Rajasthan, stating that he had served in a cyber cell since 2008 and possessed 15 years of professional experience. He delivered a 24:24-minute lecture, described SDP as a reliable application, and misled people.

Following the suspension of IMPS on April 1st, an option to specify a timeframe for wallet withdrawals was introduced—ostensibly to keep users occupied. After providing a reason for the withdrawal, ‘Apna Pay’ would issue a confirmation indicating that payment would be processed in 10, 15, or 20 days; however, the funds were never received. Furthermore, the ‘Apna Pay’ iOS SMS service—which had been transitioned from SDP on April 26, 2024—was shut down. (tranleted from gujarati by google)

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