Tathawade businessman duped by Rs 16 lakhs

An inter-state gang selling fake materials was busted by the Wakad Police team, who allegedly conned traders using fake names and duped them to crores of rupees under the pretext of selling their goods. The police have managed to seize goods worth Rs16 lakh from them.

Chaitraly Deshmukh

The police have arrested and the suspects have been identified as Deepak Muralidhar Panpaliya (51), resident from Surat, Ashok Kumar Nainchand Bafna alias Ankit Jain (Gujarat), Lalit Kumar Tulsiram Khandelwal (37), resident of Rajasthan, Zakir Noor Mohammad Hussain alias Rajesh Puri.  

The incident came to light after Victor John Peter (65) a resident of Dapodi lodged an FIR with Wakad police station under the jurisdiction of Pimpri Chinchwad police commissionerate. Complainant owns a business under the name of Prime Sales Corporation at Tathawade.  

Speaking to Pune Pulse Dr Vivek Mugalikar, senior inspector of Wakad police station said, “The complainant is into the business of selling bedsheets and other items. Once the suspects Rajesh Yogendrapal Puri, owner of Fateh Trading, and A D trading Ankit Jain approached the owner of the trading company. Acquired their trust by paying a small amount in the beginning and procure the goods. Later they borrowed goods worth Rs11.59 lakh and escaped. In the similar modus, even another businessman Rajaram Nathaji Bhati who is a distributor of ‘Repose Company’ was duped by the same gang to the tune to Rs 8 lakh.” 

He added, “Meanwhile, in our investigation it was revealed that the suspects used fake names to commit the crime. Deepak and Ashok Kumar were zeroed down from Gujarat. During interrogation, they were found to have committed the crime with their accomplice. Since Zakir did not pay the expenses as planned, Deepak and Ashok Kumar joined Lalit Kumar in a conspiracy to spend it. Fifty per cent of the profits made by them were to be shared. After this, the stolen goods were given to Lalit Kumar. He was taken into custody from Rajasthan and goods worth Rs 7.46 lakh have been recovered. While Zakir who was picked up from Madhya Pradesh, goods worth Rs 8.72 lakh were seized.”

Wakad police have appealed to citizens to approach the police in case of similar incidents.The gang has duped traders in Gujarat, Surat and Rajasthan too. In the past eight criminal cases of cheating and forgery have been registered against the gang.