Burdened with debt, jeweler Saurabh Babbar from Saharanpur, along with his wife Mona, jumped into a river, ending their lives. Saurabh's last rites have been performed, but Mona's body is still missing three days later. The community is in shock. It has been revealed that Saurabh operated a scheme known as 'Every Home Gold,' commonly referred to as a kitty committee. Saurabh managed 6-7 committee groups, each with 200 members. Every member contributed ₹2000 monthly, but only 20 members received lucky draw winnings. Each group had different lucky draw dates, ranging from the 10th to the 25th of the month. Members received a card containing monthly contributions and lucky draw details.
On the designated draw date, all group members gathered at a Saharanpur hotel for the lucky draw. This process spanned 20 months. Initially, winners received jewelry worth ₹25000, but from the 11th month to the 20th, the prize increased to ₹40000. All members received jewelry equivalent to their contributions; no cash was distributed, only gold and silver jewelry.
Saurabh Disappears on Lucky Draw Day, Death News Follows
On August 10, 2024, another draw was due. Members gathered at the hotel location provided by
. They waited, but Saurabh didn't show up. Despite multiple calls, there was no response. Members were perplexed as Saurabh had never missed a draw before. Eventually, they returned home. The next day, on August 11, rumors of Saurabh and Mona's suicide in the Ganges at Haridwar spread, stunning everyone.
Currently, committee members gather outside Saurabh’s shop daily, hoping to retrieve their jewelry or money. However, both the shop and house are locked. Members have only their cards from 'Shri Sai Jewelers Every Home Gold Scheme' to cling to. Members, like Shaiesta who had completed their contributions and were due to receive gold, were disappointed to find the shop closed on Monday.
Source: aajtak
Saurabh Babbar’s kitty group members received a card recording monthly contributions and lucky draw details. Rules were as follows:
* The scheme ran for 20 months with ₹2000 monthly contributions, with draws on the 25th of each month at 5 PM.
* Contributions were required before each draw; otherwise, the member's token was excluded.
* Winners received gold, silver, or diamond jewelry based on the scheme and didn't have to pay further contributions.
* Members leaving mid-scheme would receive jewelry equivalent to their contributions in the final month after deduction.
* The 10th winner received cash rewards of ₹50000, and the 20th winner received ₹70000.
* Five Present Gifts were drawn every month through tokens after the draw.
* Members not winning the draw received jewelry worth ₹40000 in the 20th month.
* Members received a weighbridge slip and a permanent bill to maintain future connections.
* Permanent bills were mandatory as no jewelry was given without it.
* Cash refunds weren't applicable, only jewelry was provided, excluding coins.
Views of Various Committee Members
Shaista, a member, shared that the lucky draw was due on the 10th, but Saurabh didn't show up. She participated in the committee every month, contributing ₹2000, with the expectation of receiving ₹40000 worth of gold. She had 23 cards, each representing a contribution. However, Saurabh didn’t arrive, and later she heard about his suicide.
Source: aajtak
Another member, Harpreet Singh Bhatia, stated that Saurabh was a kind person, and it was hard to believe he had ended his life. Poor, hardworking people had invested their savings in the scheme, and now only the authorities could help. Approximately 5 to 6 crores are stuck, with members losing both money and gold/jewelry.
Gold committee member Abda mentioned that their money was also trapped. They were scheduled to collect gold on Monday. Even Saurabh’s assistant Golu Bhaiya knew about it as they handed their contributions in his presence. Saurabh had called and told them to come on August 11 to collect gold (7 to 8 tolas). But after the call, they heard about his death. They were not shown the bodies' faces, leaving them in confusion and despair.
