Ahmedabad: In a shocking betrayal of trust, a Gandhinagar-based man has allegedly cheated a pharmacist of over Rs 1.75 crore under the pretext of a high-return land investment deal. The accused, Bhavik Sureshbhai Raval, reportedly used his long-standing friendship with the victim to gain confidence and persuaded him to transfer property and invest large sums of money, promising lucrative profits that never materialised. The victim, Deepak Dasharathbhai Patel (49), who runs Anjani Medical Store in Bodakdev, told police that Raval, an old college acquaintance from C U Shah College, revived contact in June 2023 under the guise of friendship before proposing a joint venture in land trading. Raval allegedly convinced Patel that he could earn significant profits through land deals in Gandhinagar and Patan, and persuaded him to sell his shop in South Bopal for ₹1.19 crore, promising partnership. However, Raval failed to pay the agreed amount, claiming he had invested it in a land deal, and presented a ₹34 lakh cheque that later bounced. Raval then persuaded Patel to invest further in another land project in Sughad village near Gandhinagar. Patel arranged ₹75.50 lakh through family and personal savings, which, along with an equal amount from Raval, was handed over to a farmer at Raval’s residence in November 2023. Raval had promised to return the investment with 1% interest within a year. Months passed with minimal repayment. Patel alleged that Raval repaid only ₹13 lakh in January 2024. In October 2024, Raval signed a notarised undertaking before a Gandhinagar notary, promising to repay ₹1.05 crore by March 2025, but he failed to do so. He subsequently issued two cheques, ₹88 lakh and ₹87.50 lakh, both of which were dishonoured. In total, Patel claims to have invested ₹1.94 crore, of which only ₹19 lakh was returned. The remaining ₹1.75 crore and promised profits were never paid. The complaint accuses Raval of cheating, breach of trust, and fraudulently acquiring property by exploiting long-standing personal ties. The Ahmedabad City Police have registered a case under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), and further investigation is underway to trace the financial trail and verify property transactions linked to the accused, reportsGujarat Samachar.