The Cost of Trust: How an Elderly IIT Professor Was Duped by a Trusted Caretaker in a Chilling Tale of Property Grabbing

In a deeply unsettling case that underscores the vulnerability of the elderly in modern urban society, an 82-year-old retired professor from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) was allegedly deceived by a woman he trusted as his caregiver.

What began as a relationship built on companionship and support turned into a sinister plot, as she is now accused of illegally transferring his properties and valuables, worth over ₹6 crore, into her name.

The accused, identified as Nikita Naik, had presented herself as a well-meaning yoga enthusiast when she first met the professor in 2017 at a garden in Mumbai’s Hiranandani Gardens, Powai.

Over time, she gradually ingratiated herself into his life, eventually moving into his flat under the pretext of offering full-time care and assistance.

As the professor’s health and eyesight deteriorated, so too did his ability to manage his affairs. According to police reports from Powai Police Station, Naik allegedly used this opportunity to seize control of his bank accounts, ATM cards, and legal documents, gaining unrestricted access to his finances and assets.

The final betrayal came earlier this year. In February 2025, Naik reportedly forcibly moved the professor into an old-age home in Vikhroli, effectively isolating him from the outside world.

With him out of the way, she is accused of executing a calculated plan: manipulating legal procedures, falsifying signatures, and registering a third of his property under her name through a so-called “gift deed.” She also allegedly gathered gold ornaments, signed cheques, credit and debit cards, and other crucial documents from his residence.

A Son’s Timely Intervention

The elaborate scheme might have gone unnoticed if not for the professor’s son, who lives in Pimpri near Pune. When he visited Mumbai in May, he was shocked to find his father missing from the family’s Powai apartment. After making inquiries, he discovered that his father had been placed in an old-age home, without his consent or knowledge.

The son immediately retrieved his father from the facility and contacted the authorities. Upon hearing the full extent of the deceit, police registered a case against Nikita Naik on June 8 under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) about cheating, fraud, and criminal breach of trust.

A Larger Warning to Society

This case is not just about one family’s anguish. It serves as a harsh reminder of how predators often walk among us, wearing masks of kindness, ready to exploit those who are alone, aged, and increasingly dependent.

Across urban India, stories of caretakers, distant relatives, and even so-called friends taking advantage of the elderly are becoming more common.

With nuclear families and fast-paced lives, many seniors live alone, becoming easy targets for those seeking to grab property, wealth, or inheritance under the guise of help.

What is especially chilling is how trust was weaponized in this case. Here was a man who had contributed a lifetime to education, innovation, and public service, only to find his twilight years marred by deceit from someone he believed was helping him.

What Can Be Done?

• Stronger monitoring of live-in caregivers and regular check-ins by family members or neighbours could act as a deterrent.
• Housing societies and banks should be more vigilant about sudden changes in property documents or banking patterns, especially involving senior citizens.
• Legal reforms may be needed to ensure elderly citizens are better protected from manipulation, including mandatory legal counselling before property transfers.

As the legal process unfolds, the retired professor and his son are now focusing on recovering from the ordeal and reclaiming what was wrongfully taken. But the scars — emotional, psychological, and social — will likely remain.

This incident is a wake-up call to society at large: the safety net for our elderly is fraying, and unless we reinforce it with laws, empathy, and vigilance, more such tragedies are bound to occur.