Pune : 145 People Duped of Rs 40 Lakh Over Fake Chardham Yatra Tour Booking
By: Pune Pulse
July 3, 2023
Pune: In a shocking incident, approximately 145 people from different areas in Pune have been cheated of Rs 40 lakhs under the pretext of booking a Chardham Yatra tour.
Speaking to Pune Pulse, Abhay Mahajan, Police Inspector, Sinhagad Road Police Station said, “The complainant, identified as Ranjit Pawar, filed an FIR with the Sinhagad Police Station about a week ago in June. We started the investigation immediately and have nabbed the culprits, identified as Rishikesh Ramchandra Bhadale, Sanket Ramchandra Bhadale, and Supriya Sanket Bhadale, all residents of Dhayari. A case has been registered against them under Sections 420, 465, 467, 468 & 471 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).”
As per information, one of the accused Rishikesh Bhadale collected a booking amount of Rs 21 thousand on February 26 at a tours and travels office close to Ajinkyatara Mitra Mandal in Dhayari. By sending various messages regarding the Chardham Yatra, Sanket Bhadale earned Pawar’s trust. The wife of Sanket, Supriya Sanket Bhadale, a co-accused, then gave Pawar a QR code and requested that the remaining Rs 35,000 be sent. However, the trip was not organized at all.
After this, similar cases started coming from around 145 different people belonging to different regions in Pune. It is anticipated that the total amount for which all the people have been cheated is around Rs 40 lakhs.
Thus, the Sinhagad Road Police Station has encouraged individuals who have been tricked likewise to approach and report such cases as there could be a possibility that more people might be victims.