Pune: PMC Peon Suspended, FIR Registered In ₹45 Lakh Fake Recruitment Scam Promising Jobs

Pune, July 19, 2026: The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has suspended a peon from its Primary Education Department and registered an FIR against him and two alleged accomplices for allegedly running a fake recruitment racket that cheated a job aspirant of ₹45 lakh by issuing forged appointment letters, transfer orders, and counterfeit civic documents.

The action follows an internal inquiry initiated after the PMC received a complaint earlier this year. After verifying the allegations, the civic administration approached the Shivajinagar Police Station, leading to the registration of a criminal case.

Three Accused Named

According to the FIR, the accused are:

• Shivanand Balasaheb Patil, a peon in the PMC’s Primary Education Department
• Namita Govardhan Bansode, a private individual
• Rajendra Baban Khedekar, a private individual

Police suspect the trio, along with other unidentified associates, prepared forged PMC letterheads, counterfeit seals, fake appointment letters, and fabricated transfer orders to lure job seekers by promising employment in the civic body.

Victim Allegedly Duped of ₹45 Lakh

Investigators said that between May 24, 2022, and May 23, 2025, the accused allegedly collected ₹45 lakh from a job aspirant from Satara after promising to secure him the post of Junior Engineer in the Pune Municipal Corporation.

The victim was allegedly provided with forged appointment orders bearing fake signatures of senior PMC officials, counterfeit departmental seals, and even the corporation’s official emblem and watermark to make the documents appear authentic.

Police believe more job seekers may have been cheated using the same modus operandi and are expanding the investigation.

Whistleblower Triggered Probe

Additional Municipal Commissioner Prajit Nair said the case came to light after a whistleblower approached the civic administration.

“We first contacted the victim, collected and examined the available evidence, and encouraged the complainant to file an FIR. The PMC has also independently lodged a complaint. The employee has been suspended with immediate effect, and we will fully cooperate with the police investigation,” Nair said.

The complaint on behalf of the PMC was filed by Shalaka Vinayak Ghoge, Superintendent in the General Administration Department. During scrutiny, officials discovered forged appointment letters, transfer orders, and other fabricated documents falsely shown as being issued by the civic body. Following a legal opinion confirming cognisable offences, the PMC authorised registration of the FIR.

Case Registered Under Multiple BNS Sections

The Shivajinagar Police have booked the accused under several provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) relating to criminal breach of trust, cheating, forgery, use of forged documents, and offences committed with common intention.

Departmental Action

In a parallel administrative action, the PMC suspended Shivanand Balasaheb Patil with immediate effect pending a departmental inquiry.

According to the suspension order issued by Deputy Commissioner Kishori Shinde-Todmal, the employee’s alleged actions have tarnished the image of the civic body and amount to serious misconduct. During the suspension period, Patil will remain bound by service rules and will not be permitted to leave the municipal limits without prior approval.

The police are now investigating the financial trail and examining whether the accused were involved in similar fraudulent recruitment schemes targeting other job seekers.