Pune: Godrej Prana Society Alleges Harassment Of Office Bearers At Pune Police Station

Pune, 13 June, 2026: The Managing Committee of Godrej Prana Co-operative Housing Society in Undri has alleged that its office bearers and managers were subjected to harassment and wrongful detention at a local police station in connection with a dispute that the Society maintains is civil in nature.

According to a communication issued by the society, the dispute originated in 2024 after a resident allegedly installed an air-conditioning unit and compressor inside a common electrical duct without obtaining prior approval from the Society. The Managing Committee stated that the installation raised safety and maintenance concerns and resulted in a penalty of ₹10,000 being imposed under the Society’s by-laws.

The Society claimed that while the penalty amount was subsequently paid, the allegedly unauthorised installation remained in place despite repeated requests for its removal. The matter later escalated and came to the attention of the police.

In its statement, the society alleged that its managers were called to the police station despite there being no registered offence or written complaint. The Committee further claimed that the managers were made to remain at the police station for several hours and were unable to leave freely during that period.

Members of the Managing Committee who later visited the police station seeking clarification over the matter also alleged that they were made to wait for an extended period before the issue was resolved.

The Society maintained that disputes relating to society resolutions, penalties imposed under co-operative housing by-laws, and matters concerning common areas fall within the jurisdiction of co-operative and civil authorities and should not result in police intervention in the absence of due legal process.

“As a residential society located on the city’s outskirts, we rely heavily on the continued support of the police and local authorities to ensure the safety and security of our residents, particularly women, senior citizens, and families. It is unfortunate that individuals performing their duties on behalf of the Society had to undergo such hardship,” the Managing Committee stated.

The Committee also expressed gratitude to Amitesh Kumar Sir and Girija Nimbalkar for their intervention, stating that their assistance helped de-escalate the situation.

However, Police Constable Nilesh Jagtap of Kalepadal Police Station disputed several aspects of the Society’s allegations.

Jagtap said the matter arose after a woman resident approached the Society regarding the ₹10,000 penalty imposed over the air-conditioning unit. He stated that the woman, had sought clarification regarding the charges.

According to Jagtap, a police marshal was informed about the dispute and interacted with the resident regarding the issue. He said the woman later contacted the police helpline, following which the matter came to the attention of police authorities.

Jagtap further stated that Society committee members later approached the police station regarding the matter and recorded videos during the interaction.

Responding to allegations that Society managers had been kept waiting at the police station since 9 a.m., Jagtap disputed the claim and said police received information about the matter only around 10 a.m. He denied that any individual was intentionally detained.

The Managing Committee has stated that it is considering submitting representations to senior police officials and other competent authorities, seeking an inquiry into the incident and safeguards for society office bearers and employees while performing their official responsibilities.

An official statement from Kalepadal Police Station was not available at the time of publication. The matter remains disputed, and the versions presented by the Society and police differ on several key aspects of the incident.