Father-son duo booked for defrauding retired BEST employee, relatives of ₹72 lakh

The accused told the victim that he had often used the ‘chief minister’s quota’ to get people jobs in government and semi-government offices, and could do so for others too in exchange for some money

MUMBAI: A father-son duo have been booked for defrauding a retired Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) bus conductor, his relatives, and his acquaintances of ₹72 lakh. The accused allegedly promised the victims jobs at the Thane Municipal Corporation and State Bank under the ‘chief minister’s quota’.

Father-son duo booked for defrauding retired BEST employee, relatives of ₹72 lakh

According to the Meghwadi police in Jogeshwari, the accused Tanaji Ramchandra Shilimkar and his son Kushal have similarly defrauded other unemployed people too.

The complainant, Mohan Kundalik Jadhav, is a resident of Gondavale village in Satara district and owns agricultural lands there. He met Tanaji while working as a BEST bus conductor at the Majas Depot in Jogeshwari. Tanaji, who was also employed as a bus conductor there, grew close to him and they frequently visited each other’s homes even after Jadhav retired from BEST in March 2022.

In 2022, Tanaji promised Jadhav that he would get his daughter a job at the State Bank and claimed that he had done so for many others. Tanaji told Jadhav that he had often used the ‘chief minister’s quota’ to get people jobs in government and semi-government offices, and could do so for others too in exchange for some money.

From March 31, 2022, to February 23, 2023, Jadhav’s elder brother, relatives, friends, and acquaintances too fell for the promise of government jobs and the accused eventually took ₹72 lakh in exchange for fake job appointment letters.

Jadhav finally grew suspicious when his daughter and nephew went to the address mentioned in their appointment letters and found no State Bank branch there. When he questioned the accused, Tanaji told everyone that he would return the money.

Realising he had been defrauded, the complainant approached the Meghwadi police and filed a complaint against Tanaji and his son. The police have registered a case against the two for fraud and embezzlement, and a police officer added, “Both the father and the son will soon be arrested.”