Pune Gangland: Six Apprehended for Extortion Attempt Using Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister’s Number
By India Crime Correspondent
PUNE, January 15, 2022
A shrewd extortion endeavor has been unveiled in Pune, as law enforcement apprehends six individuals for their involvement in a bid to extort Rs 20 lakh. The audacious scheme involved contacting a prominent builder through a ‘fake call’ application, with the call appearing to originate from the phone number of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar.
Suspects Unmasked
The arrested individuals have been identified as Navnath Bhausaheb Chormale (28) and Akash Sharad Nikalje (24) from Wade Bolhai in Haveli, Saurabh Narayan Kakade (20) from Hadapsar, Sunil alias Bala Gautam Waghmare (28) and Kiran Rambhau Kakade (25) from Theoor, and Chaitanya Rajendra Waghmare (19) from Fursungi.
Unveiling the Deceptive Plot
The culprits allegedly employed a “fake call app” on a mobile phone to reach out to the builder, using a number that ostensibly belonged to the deputy chief minister.
Operating on this deceptive premise, the accused visited the builder’s office and demanded Rs 20 lakh as a settlement for a land dispute related to Mauje Shiraswadi village in Wade Bolhai.
Menacing Threats and Extortion Demand
The accused employed threats to coerce the builder, asserting that they would impede the progress of his ongoing project if the demanded sum was not paid.
They instructed the builder to prepare the money and departed from his office, announcing their intent to return for its collection.
Foiled Scheme and Swift Response
The builder promptly alerted the police to the situation. A crime branch unit devised a strategic plan to trap the extortionists, which involved furnishing them with counterfeit currency notes.
Acting on the plan, the builder readied four bundles of 400 dummy currency notes, each of Rs 500 denomination, to be handed over to the culprits.
Police officers assumed the guise of staff members during this operation.
Red-Handed Capture
On the designated day, three of the accused, Chormale, Saurabh Kakade, and Waghmare, arrived at the builder’s office and were apprehended in the act of receiving the counterfeit currency notes.
The police swiftly arrested three more individuals, including Kiran Kakade, who had orchestrated the fake call using the deceptive app.
Concurrently, the other three accused were held outside the builder’s premises, serving as lookouts.
Legal Consequences
An official complaint was lodged at the Bund Garden police station, prompting the arrest of the six men under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including extortion, criminal intimidation, and acts committed with common intention.
Notably, Chormale’s criminal record includes previous arrests for four cases encompassing attempt to murder, extortion, and caste-related offenses.
The accused were found in possession of dummy currency notes, six cell phones, a car, and a motorcycle, with an estimated combined value of Rs 6.56 lakh.
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